


Trick-Or-Tequila

by softwaifu



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alcohol, Blood, College AU, Drugs, Exhibitionism, F/M, Fluff, Kidnapping, Modern AU, Murder, Mystery, Noncon Hints, Original Character(s), Smut, Stalking, Weapons
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2020-01-10
Packaged: 2020-11-23 20:57:26
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 9
Words: 76,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20896004
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softwaifu/pseuds/softwaifu
Summary: Sakura is a med student at Konoha State University. She's hoping for a one night stand at Ino's Halloween party, but the night doesn't really go how she expects it to





	1. Mystery Man

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all. This story is the first I've ever written and published! My writing starts off pretty rough for the first 4 chapters, but I promise I begin to improve and the story starts picks up with plot. I hope you'll give this story a chance! Thanks for reading :)

* * *

  
  
It was a gloomy mid-October morning in Konoha. Dark clouds hovered above with the threat of rain as the wind blew colored leaves from the treetops onto the busy sidewalks. Fall weather had just arrived not too long ago and everyone was gearing up for Halloween. In the residence district where most of the houses were, people were out and about running errands, or heading to work or school.  
  
One such person was Sakura Haruno. She hummed along to the music playing through her headphones as she walked down the sidewalk that headed towards her college campus. She had class at noon, but was heading to campus early to knock out some studying in the library. As she trudged along, backpack weighing heavily and her hands in her pockets, she observed the decorations that had already been put out around the homes in her neighborhood. Big orange pumpkins with faces carved into them sat happily along porch after porch, waiting outside their respective homes with hopes of illuminating the night. Some houses had gone all out with fake cobwebs, fake gravestones, and even a skeleton here and there. She sighed happily as she thought about how much she absolutely loved Halloween. Spooky movies, trick-or-treating, costume parties, and of course all the discount candy the day after Halloween. It was her favorite month of the year and she couldn’t stop the excited squeal that left her mouth at the thought of all the fun things she had planned.  
  
Pulling her hat on tighter and tucking the stray strands of hair back into it, she began to contemplate what she wanted to be this year for Halloween. Last year at Ino’s party, she had done a couple’s costume with her ex-boyfriend, Jiro. They had gone as Morticia and Gomez from the Adam’s Family and she had gotten so many compliments on how she looked in her black wig. That was a fun night, and Ino had told her this year she wanted to out-do all the other parties she had ever had with this next one. She had forced Sakura to help her make a Facebook event titled “Trick-Or-Tequila”, and then invite everyone she knew from her classes or just in general. The event now had about 300 people invited with more than half listed as attending. If this was going to be the party of the year, Sakura had to come up with something good. Especially since she was single now. She had grand plans to get drunk and find a guy for the night. It had been 7 months since her and Jiro broke up, and she was so sex deprived it was becoming an actual issue.  
  
Pulling out her phone- making sure to take care where she was walking- she opened up her messages and typed out a quick text to Ino.  
  
  
_(8:17am) Hey, should I do a sexy costume this year or a more serious one?_  
  
  
Ino responded almost immediately.  
  
  
_(8:18am) Def go for sexy. I know you said you wanted to hook up with someone_  
  
  
Sakura grinned at her response. She didn’t really know why she bothered asking Ino when she knew damn well her friend would always choose the sexier option. But, her opinion made her feel more confident nonetheless. Ino tended to have that effect on her. Even though sometimes they didn’t agree or even when they were hurling insults at each other for fun, she loved her best friend like a sister.  
  
Pushing her thoughts away from costume ideas and Ino, Sakura’s attention came back to the world around her as she walked into the library. Even though fall weather was wonderful, walking into a heated building after being outside for an extended period of time was like falling onto a cloud and she relished the feeling of the heat slamming into her upon entering.  
  
Rushing up the stairs to the second floor, Sakura walked into the main area where hundreds of desks and tables littered the area, most of them nestled among the hundreds of giant bookcases. The Konoha State University library was the biggest in the city, and just about anyone could get lost in here if they didn’t know where they were going.  
  
A big campus-wide joke was watching the freshman try to find their way through it. She had been that freshman once, only she thrived on being lost, preferring to explore rather than leave. Which was how she found her favorite spot. It was along the far left side of the library, towards the back, where desks lined the giant floor-to-ceiling windows that looked out onto the quad. It was always empty and quiet with the area being hidden from the rest of the floor due to the placement of the bookcases. The books in this section were mostly old advanced medical texts and journals. Sakura had seen a few of her fellow med students here occasionally browsing, but they never stayed long as the modern medical texts were on a different floor.  
  
And so the dark and forgotten corner where she often resided in the library was like a hidden retreat of sorts, just a lone table with a good view. A place where she could focus uninterrupted for hours on end. Not even Ino knew about it, which she silently refused to acknowledge that she kept it that way on purpose for fear of Ino bugging her.   
  
As she quietly made her way through the maze of bookcases, Sakura began to switch into study mode. She had started making a list of things to do in her head when she rounded the last bookcase and instantly froze at the sight in front of her. Someone was at _her_ table. Her mind stalled, suddenly broken at the sight. She had never seen anyone back here in all her years at KSU. From her undergrad until today, her 2nd year of medical school, this was the first time she had ever seen someone at _her_ table. She couldn’t contain her surprise, her emerald eyes widening at the sight and her mouth suddenly agape. Not only was someone there, that someone was a he.  
  
She paused and then with renewed resolve, began to take in the sight of him with an annoyed expression. He was hunched over a text book, his dark raven hair framing his face in a way that even from where she was standing she could see it accentuated his sharp jawline and high cheekbones. The back of his hair was messy and stuck up in multiple directions like it had been styled, but from the texture she deducted that it was probably natural.  
  
She could just barely see his eyes from this angle, but she could tell they were dark. They contrasted perfectly with his smooth, flawless skin and soft lips. Her eyes traveled downward now, noticing that he was clearly fit, the outline of his muscles just barely visible through his black shirt. She continued her assessment, his arms and hands looked so strong and she quickly began to wonder just how they would feel wrapped around her- _oh god_, she thought.  
  
Sakura silently berated herself as she bit her lip in frustration. She wouldn’t go there. Sakura took a deep breath and it was then that she realized that the stranger hadn’t noticed her yet. He was still focused on reading, twirling a highlighter in his left hand. Frowning at the situation, she finally decided to alert him of her presence. Putting her hands on her hips, she quietly cleared her throat. It was soft, yet just loud enough for him to still in his reading and finally look up at her. Sakura’s breath hitched and her eyes widened at the intensity in his black eyes as he stared into her emerald ones. His face showed no emotion at the sight of her and that just made her even more annoyed. Who does he think he is? As his gaze left her face and began to roam her body, Sakura’s brows furrowed in anger.  
  
“Excuse me, how did you find out about this table?” she huffed. His eyes snapped back to her face and bore into her eyes once again. She caught the twitch of his mouth that turned into what she assumed was a frown, though she didn’t know for sure with how much of an ice block he seemed to be. He continued to stare at her for a moment longer, causing her face to heat up with a blush. Damn her body for betraying her. It was then that he smirked and leaned back in his chair.  
  
“Why is that any of your business?” his voice was thick with amusement. It was deep and husky, and the sound of it was like music to her ears. She refused to let her attraction to him show through as her frown deepened. “I suppose it’s not, really. I’m just shocked to see someone here,” she paused, “in all the years I’ve been at KSU, I’ve never actually seen anyone back here. I thought I was the only one who knew about it.”  
  
At this, his smirk grew wider and she cursed inwardly. Taking another deep breath she finally let herself walk towards the table. Pulling out the chair across from him, she deposited her backpack down next to her as she sat down. Sakura spoke as she began to pull out her notebook and textbook. “Well…” she chewed her lip to calm the anxiety that was beginning to bubble inside her now, “I don’t plan on changing my study spot anytime soon, so you can stay or go, but I’m not moving.” she tossed her materials out in front of her and finally found the courage to look at him once again. His smirk and amusement were gone from his face, replaced by the emotionless expression he had on earlier.   
  
He leaned forward again, towards the table, and she thought he might say something else. Instead, he slowly just returned to reading his textbook. Sakura didn’t know what to do. Was he just going to leave it at that and ignore her? Well fine. She could play that game too. It wasn’t ideal to have someone in her sacred study spot, but it’s not like she could actually tell him to leave. No matter how much she considered this spot hers, it was a public area. She closed her eyes and sighed loudly in annoyance, hoping he got the message, but he didn’t budge.  
  
Rolling her eyes, she finally took off her coat and scarf. She had forgotten that she had put on a hat and as she reached up to take it off, her long hidden pink locks fell from under it and down her back. She brushed out some of the tangles with her fingers, when suddenly she was startled by the voice of the man across from her. “Pink huh?” his voice held no emotion, and as she looked up at him she could see he was staring at her hair. “Yes...?” she spoke softly, not knowing what he even meant by that. Yes her hair was pink, was he blind? As she continued to look at him with confusion, something in his eyes changed and he scoffed, “Tch. It’s annoyingly bright.”  
  
Sakura was flabbergasted. I mean, she knew her hair was unique, but annoying? She pursed her lips in mild anger, “You sure know how to talk to a woman” she bit out. He just scoffed at her again, never bringing his attention away from his book. Whatever, she thought. If he wants to be an ass, I just need to ignore him. Tearing her gaze away from him and back to her text, she threw herself into medical terminology.  
  


* * *

  
  
Three hours later, Sakura’s phone vibrated in her pocket bringing her out of her intense focus to see that the mystery man had already left. She had been so into her work that she hadn’t even noticed him leaving. With a frown she dug out her phone and unlocked it to read a text from Ino.  
  
  
_(11:32am) Come over tonight so we can talk costumes and plan for Saturday_  
  
  
Sakura felt herself relax at the thought of a girls night. She couldn’t wait to bitch to Ino about that asshole.  
  
  
_(11:32am) How’s 7 sound? I’m about to go to class and then I have a short shift at work _  
  
  
Sakura typed back quickly, and instantly seen Ino’s typing bubble pop up.  
  
  
_(11:33am) Perfect. Bring wine!!!_

* * *

  
  
Leaving her house freshly showered and in her softest pair of sweats, Sakura got in her car and drove to Ino’s where she found her best friend laying on the floor of her living room like a complete potato. “What are you doing?” she asked as she kicked off her shoes and walked to the kitchen to open the bottle of wine she had brought. There were a few minutes of silence before she heard her friend sigh. “I’m just...ugh. I don’t know. The party is this weekend and I feel so unprepared.”  
  
Sakura smiled as she poured two glasses and headed back into the living room, stopping above Ino and smiling down at her. She nudged her lazy friend with her foot, “Come on pig, get up and drink with me,” Sakura giggled as Ino looked up at her with mischief shining in her blue eyes. “Those really are the magic words, forehead,” Ino sat up and took the glass that was handed to her and they both settled onto the couch. Taking a few minutes to take some drinks, Sakura was the one to break the silence.  
  
“So you know that secret study spot of mine? Today I found someone there and he was a total asshole,” Sakura said, closing her eyes in annoyance and taking another drink. “WHAT?” Ino burst out, “Seriously? Even I don’t know where that is and you know I know everything… who was this guy?” her blonde friend questioned. “I don’t know, I never got his name...,” Sakura replied, rolling her eyes. Ino laughed lightly at that and not waiting for her to butt in, Sakura continued, “but... oh my god Ino, he was the hottest man I’ve ever seen,” she spoke seriously as her friend’s smile grew. “Oh? What did he look like?”  
  
Sakura and Ino continued to gossip. She told her all about what he looked like and what exactly went down between them. After she was through Sakura took another drink and looked at her friend expecting some sort of info. Ino knew everyone. However, Ino surprised her by telling her she had no idea who it was. Sakura wouldn’t lie that she was slightly disappointed that he would remain a mystery. She secretly hoped she’d see him again, but with the way he acted towards her, she knew he'd probably never return to her study spot.  
  
As the night wore on, the two girls began to discuss the party. Ino was going to have her boyfriend, Sai, pick up the alcohol she had ordered and Sakura was delegated to picking up the decorations. She supposed she’d pick them up and then get ready at Ino’s place beforehand. Her friend had an extra room there that Sakura used often when they had parties, so she wouldn’t have to worry about getting home either. As they continued they checked off everything on Ino’s list. DJ, lights, fog machine, decorations, and alcohol. Everything was in place and the plan was set. Both of the girls were now giddy with wine and excitement.  
  
“So, any ideas for a costume for me?” Sakura giggled out. Her and Ino had finished the bottle of wine a little bit ago and now both of them were in Ino’s bed watching some horror film on cable. Ino pondered Sakura’s question for a moment before speaking. “I have some ideas. But I think you should just say fuck it and do something really slutty instead of trying to make it unique this year. You could always put together a more serious costume for other parties,” Ino finished with confidence.  
  
Sakura thought it over for a moment. She was planning on going to other parties so she guessed she could do multiple costumes this year. The more the merrier right? And another thing, Sakura really wanted to get laid. It couldn’t hurt to play the slut for one night, it’s not like she planned on seeing whoever she ends up with again. Sakura hummed as she settled into her decision.  
  
“Okay, pig. What did you have in mind?”

* * *


	2. Trick-or-Tequila

* * *

  
  
  
  
Sakura huffed and wiped away the sweat that had accumulated on her forehead as she finished bringing the last box of decorations into Ino’s living room. She had taken too long packing her stuff up at home and so she was getting to Ino’s later than she had originally planned. It was currently a little after 5 and Ino was nowhere to be found. Sakura could tell she had been here earlier though as the house was spotless and her valuables were all put away in preparation for the party.  
  
  
The DJ table had already been set up in the corner where the tv had been and the furniture pushed back for dancing. Looking through the sliding glass door she saw that a beer pong table had been placed outside on the patio alongside the extra seating and bar. The patio was a must, especially since she knew people would be smoking and Ino was crazy about not letting anyone smoke in her house. Plus, with the basement off limits, the firepit in the backyard was sure to be a popular spot as well. It was the perfect time of year for a bonfire after all. Ino must have had help setting up though as generally everything was ready except for the decorations and alcohol. She would bet that Sai had come over early.

  
After checking her phone for any new event notifications, Sakura finally started on her task of decorating. Ino had purchased a lot of the decorations she had been admiring on her street earlier this week. Sakura went about placing fake skeletons, black and orange streamers, cutouts of bats, gravestones, and pumpkins. And lastly, a shit ton of fake cobwebs.  
  
Finished with decorating, Sakura dusted off her hands and observed her work. At first it seemed like the decorations might be a bit too childish for this kind of party, but it worked well and didn’t look overly cheesy. She smiled and threw the empty boxes down the basement stairs where she was sure most of Ino’s furniture and valuables had been moved to.

Turning on her heel to the sound of the front door opening, Sakura smirked at the sight of a worn out Ino dragging in two lost souls with her commanding voice. “All right you idiots, we wasted enough time running errands so just throw the alcohol down and help me get everything set up.” Ino barked as she walked towards the kitchen with an exasperated expression painted on her face. Sakura laughed as Sai and Shikamaru trudged in after her with multiple bags which she assumed contained the alcohol. The boys eyed her with a silent plea for help, but Sakura knew even she couldn’t stop Ino’s orders. So she simply shrugged and walked after Ino, the boys falling in behind her.  
  
“God it’s already 8! People are going to be here in a couple of hours.” Ino sighed as she turned to face them with her hands on her hips. “Just put the alcohol down on the counter and go grab the cases of beer from the car, Sai. Shika, you’re free. I know you need to go home and get ready as well as pick up Temari.” Ino’s face softened slightly as she spoke. Shikamaru just grunted and lazily saluted Ino before walking out. Everything was ready, Sakura mused. All that needed to be done now was put the alcohol on ice and set up the bonfire outside.  
  
“Pig, you need to relax.” Sakura spoke as she walked up to her friend and rubbed her arms up and down in an attempt to sooth the tension. “The DJ will be here in an hour and a half so we need to start getting ready now.” Just as Sakura finished speaking, Sai walked back in with the last case of beer. “She’s right. You two go shower and get ready, I’ll finish setting everything up for you.” Ino frowned at his words. “Besides,” he continued, “it really won’t take me long to get ready, I promise.” Ino pursed her lips and stared at her boyfriend for a moment before letting out the breath she was holding in one long burst. “You’re right, babe,” Ino said as she walked up to Sai and gave him a quick kiss. They both smiled, and then as if the moment had never happened, he continued on his mission out towards the backyard. Sakura giggled a bit and Ino turned back at her with an eyebrow raised. “Shut up and come on forehead, we gotta get pretty.” Ino winked as she walked out of the kitchen towards the hallway of bedrooms.

* * *

  
  
  
Sakura smirked as she checked herself out in the floor length mirror of Ino’s guest bedroom. The two girls had gone shopping earlier in the week for costumes and her friend had insisted that the costume she was currently wearing would be perfect for bagging a man. And Sakura had to give it to Ino, because the woman was right. Sakura had given in to the slutty costume idea and as she examined her body, she thought it was rather fitting that she had decided on a nurse costume (even though she was going to be a surgeon someday).  
  
She knew the costume was as unoriginal as they come, but damn did she look hot. The costume was a _ very _ skin tight fit that showed off every curve she had. It was your typical sexy nurse outfit, a white mini-dress with red trim that fell just below her ass. She knew bending over would not be an option tonight, lest someone get a peak of her panties. Sakura chuckled softly at the thought of that maybe not being such a bad idea.  
  
Underneath her dress, she had donned a beautiful white lace bra that made her cleavage pop and paired it with white cheeky lace panties to match. Sakura knew her ass looked spectacular in that particular style of thong, and she preferred it to most other styles. To go with her lingerie she wore a white garter belt that held up her red thigh high fishnets. They made her alabaster skin glow and the white heels she had paired made her legs look more shapely than usual.  
  
Sakura hadn’t spent much time on her hair, opting to leave it down and messy. Her long pink locks were tousled with soft curls that fell over her shoulders and ended just below the curve of her back. She had teased it for volume and pinned the red and white nurses hat towards the crown of her head. As Sakura finished the final touch ups of her makeup, she concluded that keeping her makeup minimal was the right move. She opted to forgo the contour and dark smokey eye she usually donned for the club or parties, and had instead gone for a simple cat eye with fake lashes that made her large eyes look even bigger. Her blush was light and her lips were her normal pink, bare of artificial color with a coat of clear gloss.  
  
She took another step back and sprayed a two spurts of her cherry blossom perfume so not to overwhelm her natural scent, but to enhance it. As she gathered all her makeup and hair tools back into her bag, Sakura couldn’t help the grin that fell upon her face as she let herself feel the excitement of the night flow through her. After throwing her bag into the adjoining guest bathroom, she headed out of the bedroom and into the kitchen to make herself a drink.  
  
As she passed through the living room, she saw that a few people were already here making small talk in the living room area. The DJ was just starting to set up which let Sakura know that it was almost 10. Coming into the kitchen, Ino let out a long whistle at the sight of her. “Damn, forehead you do good work.” Sakura laughed in return, “Shut up, pig. I could say the same about you.”  
  
Ino was dressed as a vampire, fake fangs and all. But of course, she made it sexy with a short skin tight black dress and matching heels. Her cleavage left little to the imagination and her dark makeup made her look incredibly rapacious. She had her long blonde hair in a messy formal updo, stray strands falling here and there that accentuated her long neck which donned a black lace choker.  
  
“Where’s Sai?” Sakura questioned as she moved around her friend who was leaning against the counter sipping her own drink. “He’s out back getting the fire started with Neji.” Ino informed her with a shrug. Sakura nodded as she took a bottle of unflavored vodka out of the freezer before making her way back towards Ino to mix something up. She opted for cranberry juice as the mixer, simple and sweet. Sakura made sure her first drink was a little lighter than she usually made them, not wanting to get too wasted before the night even began. Ino cleared her throat as Sakura took a long swig of her drink. “Take a shot with me!” Ino exclaimed with mischief in her eyes. Sakura eyed her warily but, honestly? Fuck it. She had a high tolerance and tonight was all about letting loose and getting laid, right?

* * *

  
  
  
  
It was almost midnight now and the party was in full swing. The house was absolutely filled to capacity with people. The dance floor was packed, as was the kitchen, and even the backyard. People crowded around the giant bonfire outside, drinks or joints in hand. Lively conversation filled the entire place, and joyful screaming could be heard every once in awhile from the people playing pong on the patio.  
  
The music blasted through the house, bass vibrating the walls and floor while the colored strobe lights lit up the dark room. Ino had set up her fog machine underneath the DJ table and made sure it was set to automatically go off every 20 minutes, causing the floor of her living room to be covered with a thick layer of fog as people danced. Ino had remarked earlier as the DJ started up that she was glad her house was in a more rural area outside of the city. She had neighbors sure, but they weren’t right next to each other like Sakura’s neighbors were. It’s what allowed Ino to have such crazy parties in the first place.  
  
Sakura was quite buzzed at this point and was engaged in a thrilling conversation about of all things, high school chemistry. She was talking with Shikamaru, who was dressed in normal clothes but had his face painted with skull makeup. It looked pretty damn good too, and she knew it was Temari’s work because the woman was dressed the same as her man. Sexy dress and skull makeup.  
  
“Yeah, but remember in high school chem when Professor Anko assigned us all a project about unique reactions with chemicals, and Naruto blew up the lab and we had to evacuate the building?!” Sakura was full on laughing now as Shikamaru just smiled with a short chuckle escaping him. “Yeah that idiot got suspended for a week. What a drag, he was our best player on the team and that week was rough without him.” Shikamaru was of course talking about the football team. Naruto had been the star quarterback who carried his team with skill and most of all, inspiration. The goofball could inspire the best in anyone. Sakura frowned, “Yeah but you hardly played Shika, you just came up with the plays.” The man look befuddled for a moment. “Yeah… and it was annoying having to hear everyone come complaining to me instead of Naruto when the plays weren’t being executed properly.”  
  
He took a long sip of his drink and Sakura rolled her eyes as she finished off her fourth glass. Her mind was in a pure state of bliss as she felt the alcohol course through her. “I’m gonna go make another drink, I’ll catch you later. Looks like Temari wants to dance.” Sakura pointed to the kitchen doorway at the woman standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and an impatient expression on her face. She smiled when she turned her gaze away from her man to Sakura though. “What a troublesome woman…” He drawled as he chugged his drink and made his way out of the kitchen.  
  
Sakura couldn’t help the giggles as she made herself another drink. Shika was such an idiot, but he was a dear friend from childhood. Sakura made her next drink a little stronger, as her tolerance was making it hard for her to get wasted. She spent way too much time drinking with her mentor who, after her shifts at Konoha Medical, would often force Sakura into joining her.  
  
Sakura was forced from her musings as a loud voice boomed her name across the kitchen. The people around her paused their conversations for a moment at the disruption, looking towards the noise before they resumed their discussions once again. “Sakura I haven’t seen you in so long!!” Naruto came up behind her and pulled her into a tight hug. As soon as she had heard his voice, she had been expecting it and was able to set her drink down beforehand. As he hugged her tightly, Sakura spotted Hinata standing there dressed as an elegant version of what she assumed was Cleopatra. She rolled her eyes at her boyfriend’s antics and gave Sakura an empathetic smile.  
  
As Naruto set her down and stepped away, she could finally see his costume and it matched Hinata. He was dressed as an Egyptian Pharaoh. Hinata chose this moment to finally come up beside him, running her hands along his upper arm before clinging to him with a gentleness you wouldn’t expect from anyone else but her. “Hello Sakura, I’m sorry we’re late. Naruto kept getting sidetracked and we had to pick up his friend as well.” Hinata spoke in a strained voice as she struggled to raise her voice to be heard over the music. “Awh, that’s totally fine, don't worry about it. I’m just happy you guys are finally here! We should take some shots!” Sakura replied.

  
Naruto grinned with mirth shining in his eyes. “You read my mind, I’m beyond ready to get started," he chuckled as he reached over Sakura to grab the vodka bottle behind her. Even with heels on, Naruto was still so much taller than her. Sakura turned to the cupboard to grab the shot glasses.  
  
“Oh hey, grab a fourth i’m gonna make my friend take one too.” Sakura raised an eyebrow in question at his statement, as she obliged his request. “My childhood friend who moved away after high school just transferred to KSU for some grad program they have there,” Sakura nodded but furrowed her brows in silent question. Naruto easily picked up on it, the two of them being close friends since her 8th grade year. “He went to different schools when we were younger and he was always too serious about his studies so he never came around when we had get togethers with friends and stuff. He moved out of state for undergrad, so he hasn’t met anyone from our friend group yet.” Huh. That’s actually really interesting. Sakura took a moment to think back through her memories as she snatched the bottle out of Naruto’s hands and poured the four shots. She vaguely remembered him talking about some friend of his from time to time. Sakura remembered he only did when he was complaining about him being an asshole, though.  
  
Sakura handed Hinata her shot before handing Naruto his. “Okay, sounds cool. Where is he then? This shot isn’t gonna take itself,” Sakura questioned Naruto. He chuckled and set the shot down on the counter. “One sec I’m gonna go grab the bastard. He’s probably just standing around somewhere.”  
  
Naruto headed off through the crowd of people gathered in the kitchen. As soon as he was out of ear shot, Hinata pursed her lips in irritation. “God, Sakura. Those two are so annoying I swear. I had to endure their bickering all the way here.” Hinata’s eyebrow twitched as she struggled to stay calm. Sakura showed her an empathetic look. “I’m sorry Hinata, just try to get drunk and do some dancing. Blow off steam. Maybe it’ll be better once they’re drunk?” Sakura knew Naruto would only get more annoying the drunker he got, but she didn’t know this other guy so maybe he’d be chill after a few drinks. She hoped so for Hinata’s sake at least.  
  
Sakura picked up her mixed drink and chugged it in waiting. Naruto was taking too damn long.  
  
As she turned to set her cup down and pick up her shot again, Naruto’s voice was back in the kitchen. Turning around, she spotted Naruto pushing his way through to where her and Hinata were standing. “Okay, Sakura this is Sasuke.” Naruto came into range and stepped aside next to his girlfriend to let the man behind him into the little circle they had made.  
  
Sakura’s breath instantly left her and her jaw felt like it hit the floor. It was the mystery man from the library! What the fuck. She furrowed her brows in annoyance and silently cursed the gods. Well, if she had another chance at him, she might as well use it to tease him the way he did her.  
  
“Sasuke huh?” she said with a mocking tone. The man looked just as expressionless as he did the day she met him, but still just as hot. He was dressed in a cop costume. The dark blue shirt was tight against his bulging muscles, and it was complemented with black cargo pants, which were tucked into laced up combat boots. He had a fake utility belt on, but the handcuffs attached looked real. Heat pooled in her panties at the lewd thoughts that ran through her mind that involved handcuffs.  
  
In an attempt to reel herself away from those thoughts, she realized he hadn’t said anything _ and _ she had been checking him out. Sakura snapped her eyes back to his face to see him with that stupid smirk of his. She scoffed at him. Why in gods name did he have to be such an ass, but so damn sexy. “Sakura huh?” he had his voice raised in volume like everyone else, but it was still so deep and dark. His tone made it clear he was amused. Sakura felt her core clench at the sound of his voice, along with the briefest thought of him fucking her with that cop costume on. It made him look so… dominant. Sakura blushed, and to hide her flustered expression, she turned and grabbed his shot. Handing it to him, he took it gently. His fingers brushed over hers ever so slightly and it sent a bolt of electricity down her spine at the contact.  
  
Naruto looked back and forth between them, a knowing smile on his face. “Have you guys met before or something? What’s up?” It was Sasuke who answered him to her surprise. “Yeah earlier this week at the library.” Naruto grinned at his friend’s words. “You’ll have to tell me about that later. I’m ready to get drunk. Let’s do this.” They four of them clinked their glasses together and quickly downed their shots.  
  
They all set their glasses back down onto the counter and Sasuke cleared his throat as he moved around her to make a drink. However, as he moved passed her, she felt the briefest squeeze along her hip which made her squirm and let out a soft ‘eep’. She quickly looked to Naruto but found he was ignoring her now, busy talking to Hinata about something. Sakura blushed as she spun her head around to look at Sasuke. His back was to her while he poured whiskey into his cup. She knew it was him that touched her, who else would it have been? Maybe, she thought hesitantly, he felt the same attraction that she did. Sakura swallowed thickly as her eyes traced his back muscles, watching them flex subtly with his movements.  
  
She tore her gaze away and let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding. Before he could turn around, Sakura had grabbed her half filled cup and bolted out of the kitchen as quickly as she could. This man was a total prick. A hot and sexy prick, but also Naruto’s friend. She had told herself she was going to fuck some random guy tonight and she didn’t want to wait around to find out if he really did find her just as alluring as she thought him. She knew she wouldn’t be able to help herself, and that was a situation she was conflicted about being in.

* * *

  
  
  
  
It had been about an hour since she had ‘met’ Sasuke in the kitchen and Sakura found herself outside by the bonfire. She had been attempting to avoid him. They had bumped into each other when she had walked out onto the patio, his hands popping up to steady her before she fell. It had been an oddly heated exchange, considering it was such innocent contact. After a moment of staring at each other, she quickly excused herself with a blush to walk towards the bonfire. She had felt his eyes on her as she walked away.  
  
It seemed she didn’t know anyone around the fire currently, which Sakura found comforting. This was good, she thought. She took a sip of her drink as she eyed the men who were around the fire talking. She had noticed some of them giving her looks out of the corner of their eyes and Sakura had smirked into her drink at the sight. However, she would wait for one of them to come to her. Sakura liked her men to be confident, and it wouldn’t do to have anyone in her bed who was too afraid to approach her. So, she idly sipped her drink while staring into the fire trying to get warm. Her outfit left little to the imagination and the chill outside was still felt even though the heat from the fire warmed her.  
  
As Sakura emptied her drink, lost in thought, she heard the footsteps of someone coming up behind her and before she could react, a pair of rough hands slid across her waist and pulled her back so that her ass was pushed against them. She immediately went to pull away, but the grip on her tightened and the man leaned down to whisper in her ear. “You look cold, gorgeous. And with an outfit like that I just couldn’t resist you.” Sakura’s face instantly contorted in anger. Jiro. She ripped his hands off her and he stepped back without resistance as she turned to face him. Knowing him, he had expected her to get angry. That’s just like him.  
  
“Jiro don’t fucking touch me,” she hissed. He was tall and lean, his brown hair a mess of a mop on his head. He was dressed as a viking and Sakura inwardly scoffed. A thought crossed her mind then. “What are you even doing here, I haven't seen you in 7 months,” she asked firmly. She knew Ino hadn’t invited him, and neither had she. Their breakup had not been good, as the longer they dated the more controlling he had become. Sakura knew she had to end it when she found out he had put a tracker on her phone. It became clear that he was not in his right mind, and she feared he would become abusive if she stayed with him longer. He hadn’t taken it well at all, the two falling into a massively loud argument. He had left her house in fury afterwards, and she hadn't seen him since. Sakura knew he had been actively avoiding her, so what had changed to make him show up like this?  
  
Jiro eyed her now with a smile, but with a burning fury behind his blue eyes. “Come on baby, don’t be so harsh. Maybe I just wanted to see you.” He reached out to touch her face and as she went to slap it away, he grasped her wrist tightly and pulled her closer with a sharp tug. Her body flung forward with ease causing her to let out a gasp in surprise. Sakura tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened. He easily pulled her closer again so that her body was flush against his and Sakura tried her best once again to lean away from him. He clucked his tongue in disapproval and dug his fingers into her hip, securing her in place. It was too much and Sakura couldn’t help but wince in pain. She turned back to him with a panicked expression on her face. Jiro had never been so rough with her, and she was starting to freak out just a bit. She was sure her hip would bruise from his strength.  
  
Jiro laughed heartily at her. She paled at the sound of his amusement. “Jiro,” she whispered, “please stop,” her voice was a little shaky but she tried to sound confident. She was sure she had failed. “Nah, you know you miss me. Don’t you remember the way I use to make you squirm, we could-”  
He was interrupted by a dark voice that simmered with loathing and anger. “She told you to stop.”  
  
Jiro turned to look at who was speaking and Sakura knew it was Sasuke. He was standing there, aura of murder dripping from him. His posture was relaxed but even Sakura could feel the intent of harm emanating from him. His eyes bore into Jiro with warning, a silent threat of harm. The three of them stood in place for what seemed like minutes, Jiro and Sasuke glaring at each other with Sakura still in Jiro’s painful hold.  
  
Finally, Jiro let go of her and instantly Sakura rubbed the tension out of her wrist with a frown. Jiro chuckled darkly as he stepped away from her and began to leave. “Whatever dude. You can fucking have her, just know she’s a real piece of work.” He scoffed before heading back into the house. Sakura watched him go before looking around them to see that no one had even noticed the altercation. She shuddered to think about what might have happened if Sasuke hadn’t intervened when he did.  
  
Sakura closed her eyes and took a deep breath before turning her attention away from her wrist to Sasuke. His demeanor was back to normal now, though for the first time, Sakura saw something behind his eyes that she hadn't seen in him before. Empathy. She gave him a weak smile as she walked up to him. He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. “Um,” she spoke hesitantly, “thank you, Sasuke. You didn’t have to do that, but... I appreciate it.” To her surprise he scoffed at her. “Didn’t have to? That man looked like he would have done whatever he wanted to you if I hadn't intervened.”  
  
Sakura’s eyes hardened at his words. His brows furrowed ever so slightly and his eyes were so intense that Sakura had to look away for a moment before she could speak. “It would have been fine, I can handle myself you know.” Sasuke smirked at that. “I don’t doubt your strength,” Sakura snapped her head back to him and he continued. “Luckily I spotted him when you walked towards the fire earlier. He was obviously plotting something from the way he was glaring at you. His vibes were way off, and the way he watched you was filthy.” He spoke of Jiro with venom dripping from his tongue, but his eyes instantly calmed when they met hers. They stared into each other’s eyes for a long while, silently searching each other for something. She didn’t know what but the longer they stayed like this, the easier it was to not find him so annoying. Especially since he had gotten her away from Jiro. A moment later he broke contact to look at something behind her. Before Sakura could turn to see what he was looking at, he spoke.  
  
“Do you wanna dance?” He asked in a low tone, almost a whisper. Sakura had to pause at that.  
  
She didn’t know what to think about him anymore. She was starting to think maybe she had misunderstood him. Maybe he wasn’t such an asshole. Sakura knew that he had essentially saved her from something awful happening, and he had done it in a way that made her realize there was more to him than the often unemotional demeanor he presented. Sakura knew she shouldn’t say yes because she knew exactly what was going to happen if she did. They'd had sexual tension between them ever since she had met him in the kitchen earlier. She had told herself she wouldn’t fuck anyone she knew, but as she looked into his heated dark eyes now, she knew she wanted to have him tonight. She looked away briefly in an attempt to get herself to say no, but she couldn't do it.  
  
Sakura bit her lip before looking back up at him. He was looking at her lips now, tracing them with his eyes. She stilled for a moment as she watched him gaze at her with desire. Fuck it. She brought her hand up, settling it on his bicep and squeezed him softly. She nodded yes to him and Sasuke smirked as he extended his hand for her. Sakura knew she might regret this in the morning when she had a clearer head, but she pushed all those feelings back and giggled as he pulled her across the yard.  
  
Before they entered the house, Sasuke paused and told her to wait for a moment. He walked over to the bartender who was outside, and picked them up two drinks. She smiled and silently took the drink and his offered hand again as they continued on inside. While they walked towards the dance floor, Sakura had to take a deep breath to calm herself. She watched the back of Sasuke as he dragged her through the crowd and Sakura couldn’t help but chug her drink. She finished it quickly and as they walked by a table, she set the empty cup down. Sasuke turned to look back at her then with a smirk. Sakura blushed at his expression and in return he chugged his drink too, setting his cup down next to hers.  
  
In the next moment, they were on the dance floor. As the crowd moved around them, Sasuke ran his hands down her waist, before instinctively Sakura turned around to dance on him. The music was blaring and she could feel the bass in her bones as her and Sasuke practically melted together. Time seemed to pass and the crowd disappeared around her as she focused on Sasuke. It felt so natural to be with him like this, and his hands were already making her wet with just the simplest touch. The drink she had chugged finally started to creep in and she drunkenly leaned her head back onto his shoulder, closing her eyes in bliss as he continued to move his hands up and down the sides of her body, grinding slowly onto her ass. His hot breath was on her neck then and shockingly, she felt herself groan at the contact. Sasuke tightened his hold on her hips at the sound of her, and he ground into her harder letting her know how hard she was making him. Sakura bit her bottom lip as her core clenched and she felt herself getting wetter. He smelled so good and he felt so good.  
  
She opened her eyes that were hazed over in lust as he softly sunk his teeth into neck, tongue darting out to soothe the spot. They never stopped dancing as they moved together to the beat of the music, his hands all over her and her back pressed against him.  
  
It was after a particularly rough bite on her neck, that she felt his hand move to her thighs to start playing with the end of her dress. He hummed in her ear as she eagerly pressed her ass into him in response. As they continued to dance, Sakura quickly realized just how badly she wanted him. She ached for his touch and when his fingers gripped the strap that held her stockings up and snapped it back onto her thigh, she knew she couldn’t do this anymore. Her mouth was watering from how aroused she was and the slight pain from the slap that the strap had caused against her skin had her reeling with pure, unadulterated lust. She knew he felt the same as she felt his hard cock pressed against her ass, grinding slowly. She could feel his quick breaths on her neck and ear as he slowly licked her lobe before biting down on it. Sakura moaned and he groaned softly in response, the sound deep and dark in his throat. He moved his hands from her thighs, up her hips, and slowly began to draw soft circles on her lower abdomen.  
  
  
Her mind went blank and she noticed that they had stopped dancing. Sasuke’s breath tickled her ear once again but this time he spoke, “Sakura…” his voice was so smooth and she wondered how he was so calm when she was a quivering mess, “Sakura, I want to hear you scream my name as I _ fuck _ you in to your mattress” he hissed out, and Sakura immediately thought she'd never heard a man say something so erotic to her.  
  
She couldn’t help the whimper that escaped her mouth at his words and she had to bite her lip to keep herself from moaning when he chuckled lowly in response. She couldn’t continue to stand here with him teasing her like this. Rubbing her thighs together was no longer easing the tension between her legs, and it was like a fire had erupted inside of her. She turned around for the first time since they started their little tryst on the dance floor, and lost her breath at the sight of his lidded, lust-filled eyes. She knew hers looked the same.  
  
Her body moved on instinct, grabbing his hand and pulling him through the crowd towards the bedroom she had claimed for the evening. As they moved into the dark, empty hallway, the party suddenly seem far away.  
  
Before Sakura could even make it to the door with him, she was roughly thrown against the wall. Sasuke picked her up with a quickness her drunkenness couldn’t comprehend, and her legs moved on their own to wrap around him as he held her up against the wall like it was nothing. He was instantly devouring her lips like his life depended on it and Sakura let out a moan as she dug her hands into his silky hair. It felt much better than she imagined it would. Another moan left her lips as he moved her dress upwards and palmed her ass roughly, massaging the exposed flesh and grinding her into him. Sasuke let out a delicious moan as he touched her and Sakura bucked her hips into him at the sound. Their tongues hastily explored every inch of each other's mouths and when she pulled apart to breathe, Sasuke was at her neck without skipping a beat.  
  
It was better than on the dance floor as he now had all the access he wanted to her smooth skin. He peppered kissed her up to her jaw and back down, leaving little bites and licks that had her exposing more of her neck for him. She mewled as she began to grind herself against him to relieve the tension. She needed him so badly. She had never been this horny, this desperate for a man’s cock to fill her. She knew he was well endowed too from the way he felt against her ass earlier and her mouth watered once more at the thought.  
  
She was starting to get impatient, more desperate, and she knew Sasuke could tell from the way he smirked into her skin as she continued to roll his hips against her. “Sasuke please,” she whined as her grip on his hair tightened. He pulled back and her grip loosened to let him. He let go of her ass, causing her feet to slowly fall onto the floor until she was standing against the wall. He had her trapped with his hands on both sides of her head, both of their breathing labored. She watched Sasuke’s eyes roam over her with a hunger she had never seen in a man before and it made her quiver with anticipation.  
  
He eyed her breasts before removing one of his hands from the wall and softly dragging his hand across her collarbone, down her chest until it rested on the zipper that held her dress together. He hummed in satisfaction as he began to unzip it just enough to expose her clothed breasts. Sakura’s heart was beating a million miles an hour as he devoured her with his dark eyes. She wanted him to touch her, why wasn’t he touching her? This was too slow, too much. He must have noticed her hand twitch at her side because he was then looking at her face again. His eyes shined with mirth as he assessed her. “Please what?” he spoke softly but firmly and Sakura’s eyes widened at the question. “What?” she questioned back. He smirked, “I said,” he leaned down to whisper against her ear, “please what?” Sakura’s hands instinctively went to grip his shirt as her impatience grew.  
  
“Please…” she paused to find the words, “please touch me,” she whined out trying to make her breath not sound as lost as it was. Sasuke smirked darkly at her and her grip on his shirt tightened. He hummed as his hands fell back to her sides, rubbing circle onto her clothed flesh. Her thighs rubbed together at the contact, and Sasuke pulled away from her and took a step back. Sakura was leaning against the wall, her delicate and flimsy bra exposed and her breathing heavy. Her hair was slightly tangled and dark hickeys littered her neck. She knew she looked a mess and by the way Sasuke was looking at her, he clearly loved the mess he had created. She finally snapped, grabbing his hand to lead him to her room as she realized that he didn’t know where it was. Sakura opened the door at the end of the hallway and quickly pulled him inside.  
  
The room was dark, save for the moonlight spilling in from the window. Her mind was everywhere at once, the alcohol dulling her mind, the lust dulling it even further. She knew he was just as drunk however, with the way he swayed slightly. She kicked off her heels and tore the nurse hat off of her head. As she did so, Sasuke turned from her to lock the door and then after a moment, he was on her, roughly pulling her to him and taking her mouth with fervor.  
  
Finally, they were truly alone and she let a loud moan leave her mouth as Sasuke’s touches began to get rougher. His hands were everywhere. On her ass, her stomach, running up and across her back before they settled in her hair at the nape of her neck. They never broke contact as he pulled her head up to give him deeper access to her mouth. As their tongues battled for dominance, Sakura finally let her hands roam his body as well. She felt how hard his chest was, his muscles fit and well defined. Her hands hastily untucked his shirt from his pants, slipping her hands underneath to caress his soft skin. She groaned at the contact, his flesh hot underneath her fingers. He smirked as he pulled away to quickly rip his shirt over his head. He tossed the garment onto the floor and Sakura’s eyes darkened at the sight of him. So strong, so perfect. He was on her again, roughly pulling the zipper of her dress down. When her body was finally exposed to him, she heard him groan softly as he took the sight of her in. He pulled the dress down her arms until it was completely off her body and tossed away.  
  
  
Sakura stood there in nothing but her bra and panties, a wild blush on her face. Her garter belt was still on and attached to her stockings. She moved forward and Sasuke looked like he hadn’t expected it, but he welcomed her into his embrace nonetheless. His hands deftly unclipped her stockings before unclasping her garter belt and tossing it onto the floor. She hummed in satisfaction as her hands danced feather-light touches across his chest.  
  
He let her touch him, exploring his chest and stomach before he was suddenly and quickly moving to pick her up. He kept doing that, and Sakura couldn’t deny she loved the feeling of being manhandled.  
  
Sakura let out a squeak as he tossed her onto the bed. His chuckle at her reaction caused her to let out a giggle. She had thought he’d join her on the bed but instead, he just stood there watching her with a contemplative expression. Sasuke didn’t look away from her once as he knelt to untie his boots and slide them off, his eyes calculating. Sakura was about to ask him what was wrong before his expression instantly changed into one so dark, it forced a gasp out of her.  
  
Before she could do or say anything, he reached out and grabbed her ankle, pulling her roughly to the edge of the bed. Her legs fell down off the edge and she brought herself up into a sitting position. He ever so slowly began to drag her stockings off her legs, making Sakura bite her lip to hold back a whimper at the sensual action. With her stockings finally off, he stood to remove his fake cop belt. Finally, Sasuke moved forward. He towered over her as she watched him from her seated position. Bending down, he laid the softest kiss yet upon her lips, bringing his hand to cup her chin.  
  
Normally Sakura would have no problem with the sudden change of pace. However, with the events from the dance floor and the hallway still fresh in her mind, Sakura wanted it rough and she wanted it now. And Sakura knew exactly how to get what she wanted from Sasuke. By teasing him. Before he could kiss her again, she pulled away to look back up at him. “Didn’t you say you were going to fuck me into my mattress? Don’t tell me you were all talk and no bite," she whispered.  
  
She could feel the power boiling beneath him and at her words, she saw him bristle slightly. He let out a ‘tch’ before bringing his hands that had moved to his sides, back up to grip her chin. Only this time he was rough and his grip was strong. Sakura felt her core clench again at his actions. Sasuke forced her to look up into his eyes and he smirked. “Don’t be a brat,” he bit out, voice laced with amusement and lust. Sakura smirked back at him, “Maybe you should just fuck me then,” she quipped.  
  
  
It was as if a fire in Sasuke had been reignited and he crashed his lips onto hers, taking her mouth with such force Sakura had to hold onto the blanket below her to still her from falling backward. Slowly but surely, Sasuke had her moving backward. They broke contact momentarily as she scooted back to let him fill the space between her legs. His hands traveled her body as they had been earlier, but it was much more desperate. Sasuke devoured her, bringing his fingers to lightly trace the bottom edge of her bra, fingers lightly dusting her sensitive skin. Their tongues caressed each other, their kiss becoming rougher and Sakura whimpered as he continued to tease her with light touches.  
  
He pulled away from her mouth, a trail of saliva connecting what once was. With haste, he reached underneath her to unhook her bra and in one swift motion, it was off of her. She gasped as the air hit her nipples, making them pucker. She had no time to react further as he descended upon her breasts. The moan that forced its way out of her was loud and guttural as his tongue greedily began to tease her nipple, swirling around with precision. Sasuke hummed at her reaction as he continued his ministrations, using his other hand to palm her other breast roughly. Sakura whimpered as the heat between her legs grew once again, and when he left her breasts to travel down her stomach, Sakura had to grip the sheets beside her.  
  
He left quick kisses and bites along her lower abdomen, causing her to squirm. Sasuke reached out to grip her inner thighs, spending them as he lowered his mouth to her clothed clit and let his tongue tease her. Sakura cried out, her hands leaving the blanket to grip his hair. She was so sensitive from all of his teasing tonight, and to finally have him on her was pure ecstasy. Sasuke growled at her reaction, the vibrations caused her to buck her hips in an attempt to increase the pressure he had on her. To Sakura’s disappointment, however, he pulled away. His eyes danced with lust as he finally gripped her panties and tore them down her legs in one swift motion. Sakura instinctively spread herself for him again, watching him through hooded eyes. It was then that he finally undid his pants, pulling them down and taking his boxers with them. His hard member sprang free and Sakura licked her lips at the sight. He was perfect and she knew he would fill every inch of her as no other man had.  
  
  
She had anticipated him fucking her now, but instead, he leaned forward and pulled her legs apart wider to get a better look at her slick cunt. His expression was dark as he looked back up at her. Keeping his eyes locked on hers, he moved her legs farther before bringing one of them over his shoulder. He eyed her pussy with hunger now as he dragged his fingers across one of her hardened nipples and down her body. She shivered under his touch, and Sasuke paused just above her mons.  
  
He focused his heated gaze on her face and Sakura squirmed trying to get him to go lower. Her brows furrowed in frustration after a few moments and she bucked again, but this time his fingers were quickly replaced by his hand to hold her down and stop her from squirming. “Sasuke,” she whined his name in such a breathless whisper and she watched his cock twitch at the sound. After a moment longer, his fingers found her slit and she groaned at the contact. He spread her lips softly, moving his fingers up and down until finally, he was inside of her. Sakura moaned loudly as he thrust in and out of her with precision. She was coming undone, her legs quivering from his touch. When he leaned down to suck on her clit, Sakura bucked wildly into his mouth. It seemed to cause something inside of him to snap because soon his fingers were fucking her faster, his tongue swirling and sucking on her bud like a starved animal. It didn’t take long for Sakura to cum, and when she did she screamed. Her orgasm crashed into her so hard, she was seeing stars. It was a relentless wave of pleasure as Sasuke expertly finger fucked her through it. Her moans were all over the place as she rode it out. Sasuke gave her a few seconds to breathe, before finally removing his fingers, smirking as he watched her chest rise and fall from her heavy breathing.  
  
Sakura was a pile of jelly and when Sasuke gripped her hips to pull her forward, her pussy clenched in anticipation of being filled by his cock. He slowly rubbed his head on her slit, watching her expression turn from satiated to hungry once more. He furrowed his brows in concentration as he lined himself up with her entrance and pushed himself inside. They both groaned as he filled her heat slowly, stretching her deliciously. Sakura’s eyes rolled back into her head at the feeling and when he started moving she lost herself in pleasure. He wasn’t holding back as he brought his cock out and slammed back into her with a grunt. His pace picked up and it took everything in her to stop herself from screaming his name. He took her roughly and without hesitation, filling every inch of her in a way that had her overcome with pleasure.  
  
Sakura’s orgasm was building again, the heat winding and twisting its way through her. She was close, so close. Their bodies were covered in sweat and the lewd sounds of their fucking caused Sakura to moan even louder. Sasuke reached down to rub soft circles around her sensitive clit as he rammed into her with all the force he could muster. She quickly, and loudly came undone. She heard Sasuke curse as he felt her clench around him. He was moving faster now, his thrusts becoming unhinged and desperate as he fucked her through her orgasm. Sakura moaned repeatedly, her voice becoming hoarse and broken at the immense wave of pleasure that crashed into her, her second orgasm being even more intense than the first. Her vision blurred and she knew by the rhythm of his thrusts that he was close too. As Sakura came down, Sasuke went up. He let out a rough groan as he buried himself to the hilt and released his seed inside of her. The feeling of his warmth causing her to inhale a sharp breath.  
  
After a few moments of them being frozen in place and basking in their orgasms, he leaned over her to kiss her slowly. He was gentle now, his lips so soft on her own. Sakura savored the way his tongue moved with hers, blushing lightly at the taste of herself still lingering. Slowly and reluctantly he pulled away from her, breaking their kiss to pull out of her and Sakura immediately missed the way he filled her. He collapsed next to her, his breathing harsh along with hers. As they both struggled to calm down, Sakura sleepily curled into his side, inhaling the scent of their coupling and his natural musk. She loved it. He lazily reached underneath her then to pull the blanket out from under them, covering them both and pulling her closer to his side. She sighed in contentment, nuzzling her face into him. Sakura felt his chest vibrate with a chuckle and the last thought before sleep took her was how much she would love to do that again.

* * *

  
  
Sakura awoke the next morning to the blinding sunlight that leaped across her eyelids. Her head throbbed with a hangover and her mouth was disgustingly dry. She groaned and slowly but surely, opened her eyes. She sat up and glanced over to Sasuke still next to her, pursing her lips at the sight of him. He was sound asleep and Sakura couldn’t help the small smile that appeared on her face. He looked so peaceful, and so not like the asshole she had met at the library.  
  
She frowned when her mind drifted towards the thought of what this meant for them. She barely knew him, and yet that was the best-drunk sex she'd had in a long time. The fact that he was certainly about to become a staple in her life worried her. He was Naruto’s best friend, which meant he was going to be around a lot more now. That complicated things a bit. She laid down again and turned on her side to face him, committing this version of him to memory. He knew where her study spot was too, and they go to the same college. She sighed. Sakura had fucked people she knew before, sure, but something about Sasuke was different. In the very short time that they had known each other, he had managed to piss her off extensively and yet, turn her on better than anyone. Yes, they had been drunk but she knew he felt it too. That spark between them that she felt the moment his fingers had brushed against hers last night.   
  
Tired of her troubling thoughts on Sasuke, Sakura turned around to face the wall with a sigh as she brought the covers up over her. After a while, sleep threatened to take her once more, and as she drifted off, she felt a strong arm snake around her waist to bring her closer to the warmth emanating from the other side of her bed.

* * *


	3. The Library

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired to write another chapter. I'm honestly really enjoying the way I'm writing lately, so you can probably expect more chapters to be added to this.
> 
> I put in a bit of Sasuke's perspective, and after this chapter, he'll get his own POV parts~
> 
> Anyways, enjoy!

* * *

  
  
  
When Sakura awoke again much later in the afternoon, she felt rather than saw that Sasuke had left her bed.   
  
Turning over to face the alarm clock on the stand, she groaned in frustration at the time. _ 3:27 pm_. She had slept much later than she would have liked and she knew because of it she’d have a have a hard time falling asleep later tonight. Pulling the covers back up over her head, she burrowed her body further into comfort. Sakura laid there quietly, trying to will herself up and out of bed. It was just as she was getting up that Ino barged into the room with a loud bang. They both froze mid motion and stared at each other for a beat before her blonde friend’s face broke out in a mischievous smile. Sakura rolled her eyes and inwardly cursed as she stood up and grabbed a t-shirt out of her bag before throwing it over her naked form. Sakura returned to the bed, sitting crossed legged upon it, a slight frown tugged at her lips.  
  
Sakura knew Ino had seen Sasuke leave. “Hey foreheeead~” Ino sang out with a snicker. “Who was that hot guy that left your room a little bit ago? He barely acknowledged Sai and I on the couch when he walked by.” she crossed her arms as she whined out the last of her sentence. Sakura rubbed her temples slowly and closed her eyes as she let out the longest sigh she could muster. “Well?” Ino pressed again. God, here we go.  
  
“That was... Sasuke. Naruto’s friend...” Sakura spoke with a tone of reluctance and Ino raised her eyebrows in mild surprise. Sakura continued, “and… and the mystery guy from the library.” She winced at the piercing shriek that left the blonde’s mouth. “WHAT? EXCUSE ME?!” Ino was yelling and it causing Sakura’s temper to rise quickly. “Ino-pig! Shut. Up.” she seethed, “My head is killing me!!” Ino pouted her lips and plastered a fake wounded expression onto her face. “Don’t be mean, I’m just so excited for you! You weren’t kidding when you said he was sexy.” Ino flopped down on the bed next to her and continued, “So… how was he?”  
  
Sakura blushed beet red as she recalled the events of the night before. It was the best drunk sex she'd ever had and she shivered with pleasure to think about what they could do together if they went at it sober.  
  
“It… was amazing,” Sakura finally spoke. “I won’t lie, it was rough and drunk. But… it was still probably the best drunk sex I’ve had and I can’t figure out why.” Ino frowned. “What does that even mean?” Her friend spoke. Sakura shrugged, “I don’t know either. It wasn’t particularly unique or new, but the way he felt… and… the way I felt when he touched me was so different than any guy I’ve ever had.” Sakura whispered. She turned to face Ino head on now. “Ino, earlier in the night we had a moment where our fingers brushed together as I handed him a shot. When it happened… it was like being shocked by lightning. I… I’ve never felt anything like it. I didn’t know a touch so simple could evoke such feelings...” Sakura’s frown deepened. “Have you ever felt that before?” She questioned the blonde.  
  
Ino scanned her face with a contemplative look and Sakura waited for her friend’s response eagerly. She knew if anyone had felt something like that, it would be her. She was notorious for the amount of men she had been with before she had met Sai. Finally pulling her gaze away from the pinkette, Ino sighed as her eyes shined with nostalgia. “Yeah… that happened when I first met Sai…” Sakura’s heart sped up at the confession. Ino rarely talked about her first meeting with Sai. Ino being the type of woman who told Sakura _ everything_, she had never pressed further knowing it would come out eventually. Ino licked her lips and continued, turning back to face Sakura. “I met him in that art class I took as a gen ed my senior year of undergrad. He was a teaching assistant. I had thought he was very attractive and talented, but I never considered him being the one until one day I asked him for help on a particular assignment.” Sakura kept quiet and nodded for her friend to continue. “I was having trouble with getting the hang of the shading on a still life of a plant. He had sat down next to me and I remember every hair on my body was suddenly electrified. He hadn’t even touched me, and then when he did… I thought my heart would jump out of my chest.” Ino smiled so softly Sakura couldn't help the hand that reached out for hers.  
  
“Ino… why did you never tell me that?” Sakura whispered. Ino blushed in response before letting out a raspy laugh. “I know I tell you everything, but something about that always felt too intimate to share with anyone. And also embarrassing…” Sakura giggled at her friend causing Ino to lightly punch her in the arm. “Well, thanks for telling me, pig. I feel a lot less weird now.”  
  
Ino just smiled and patted her knee lovingly. “So, what are you gonna do forehead? Sounds like you got it bad for a guy you barely know and that’s trouble.” Sakura shook her head bringing her hands up to rub her face. “I don’t know.” She mumbled. Ino got up and headed to the door. “Well, we can talk about it later. I’m just happy you finally got laid.” Ino said before bursting into quiet laughter.  
  
Sakura spent the rest of the afternoon helping Ino and Sai clean the house. The trio animatedly gossiped together about their evenings and how great the party had gone. When Sakura had explained the confrontation with Jiro and Sasuke, Ino had flown into a string of curses, vowing to find her ex and kick his ass for crashing in on her party. Sakura had waved her off, but she knew Jiro would be in for it the next time he bumped into the blonde.

* * *

  
  
  
  
Later that night as Sakura lay in bed, she tried her hardest not to think of Sasuke. But of course she failed. Her mind wandered to the way his mouth had felt on her, hot and needy, and she reached up to touch the faded marks he had left on her neck. She felt herself get wet at the memory of them, and when she thought about the way he had hastily eaten her, she couldn’t stop her hand from moving lower.  
  
Sakura gave into her desires and brought herself to completion, biting her lip to keep herself from moaning his name. Not long afterwards as she lay there basking in the afterglow of her orgasm, Sakura came to the realization that Ino had been right. She was in trouble.

* * *

  
  
  
  
Halloween had come and gone, and now the chill of fall had began to hint at winter. Konoha had yet to receive any snow, but as the cold wind blew into Sakura she wished it would already. She had always thought the beauty of the snow made the winter cold worth it. Without snow, everything was dull, dead, and frozen. Cupping her hands in front of her she blew into them to warm her nose before sticking them back into her coat pockets.  
  
Sakura hadn’t seen or talked to Sasuke since the party three weeks ago, and in that time she had thought about him more times than she cared to admit out loud. She knew that he was probably avoiding her and honestly, it was for the best. Sakura knew the right thing to do was to pretend it didn’t happen, but she really didn’t want to. A part of her wanted to get to know him, to find out if there could be more for them. She had no idea who he really was and that bugged her to no end.  
  
Sakura walked into work with a sigh, her coworker Kiba nodding at her as she walked in the door. She worked part-time at the local coffee shop on campus, Konoha Bean. Technically she didn’t need to work, as the inheritance her parents had left behind more than afforded her to live comfortably. However, she loved being a barista and she loved her customers.  
  
She strolled into the back and set her bag down. Sakura threw off her jacket and put on the olive colored apron, before walking out to relieve Kiba of his shift. He seemed hyper as usual as he ran down the list of things that still needed to be done before close, and when he turned to leave he made sure to let her know that he’d see her later.  
  
Sakura smiled softly as she began some of her closing tasks early so she could get out as soon as possible. Kiba had mentioned that the cafe had been slow and he was absolutely right. Only a few people littered the lobby, either typing away on their laptops or reading.  
  
Closing shifts were her least favorite, she mused. They were slow and she rarely had conversations with customers. Hopefully, she would have time to go study at the library a bit once she was done here. She glanced at the clock- _ 4:14 pm _ . The cafe closed at 8 and Sakura deflated a little at the thought of how slow her shift would probably go by. Grumbling about her lack of fun, she threw some beans in the grinder to brew a new pot of coffee.  
  
~*~  
  
It was around 7:30 when she heard the ring of the front door chime to let her know she had a customer. Sakura had been in the back doing dishes, making sure to leave a bell at the counter in case anyone in the cafe needed a new drink. Wiping the soap off her hands, Sakura came out of the back to see none other than Naruto. And right next to him... was Sauske. Yep, she thought, she really did have bad luck today. She cursed under her breath and told herself to act normal.  
  
“Naruto, Sasuke, what are you two up to?” she smiled as she walked up to the register where the two men were waiting. Naruto’s face lit up at the sight of her. “Hey Sakura! I didn’t know you were working today! You covering TenTen’s shift?” Sakura nodded at the question as her smile grew a little wider. “Yeah, she promised me a favor and I didn’t have much to do today anyways.” He grinned and turned to nudge Sasuke with his elbow, who Sakura knew, had been silently staring at her the entire time she had been talking to Naruto.  
  
“Ne, Sasuke you’re not gonna say hi?” Naruto was teasing him, and Sakura almost blushed when she realized his tone gave away that he _ definitely _ knew about their hook-up. Sasuke’s eyebrow twitched slightly as he turned his face away from Naruto to her. “I’ll have a small coffee. Black.” He spoke calmly as he stared her down. Before Sakura could protest, Naruto did it for her. “You bastard, that’s not a greeting and also... Sakura isn’t just any worker. Don’t be so rude.” His mouth was pressed in a firm line of annoyance and Sasuke let out a grunt in response, looking away from them and over to the seating in the lobby. Sakura sighed, and turned to Naruto.  
  
“It’s okay Naruto, don’t worry about it. We close in 20 minutes, what do you want? It’s on the house.” she grinned at the smile that lit up his face. He was literally sunshine incarnate, she thought. He looked to the menu in thought for a moment before he spoke “Meh, i’ll just take a green iced tea. Can you put lots of sweetner in it for me? Like 12 pumps?” Sasuke let out a muted “idiot” at the request, which Naruto promptly ignored. “Sure Naruto, but as a future physician you know I have to tell you every time how bad that is for you.” Naruto snickered and waved her off as she started his tea. “Yeah, yeah. You can be my doctor someday then and I won’t have to worry because you’ll take care of me right?” he pouted and Sakura laughed. “That’s not how that works! But sure, let’s go with that.”  
  
Sakura handed off the iced tea to Naruto who eagerly took a sip. Turning back to the counter she took a filter out of the bag next to the grinder and spoke. “It’ll be just a moment on the coffee. I already threw away the old brewed batch for the night so you’ll have to wait for a pour-over.” When she didn’t hear anything from Sasuke, she turned to see him staring at her again. Sakura was over it at this point, he had seen her naked and he was acting like such a stranger. She didn’t acknowledge the small voice inside of her that said ‘_well he kinda is _ ’.  
  
“I know you can speak Sasuke, use your words please.” Naruto snorted loudly at her words as he leaned back against the counter, his attention glued to his phone. The corner of Sasuke’s lips tilted slightly downward, and she realized that maybe she shouldn’t tease him so informally just yet. She shrugged at his silent response and turned back to the counter to continue pouring hot water into the filter, watching the coffee begin drip into the cup below it.  
  
“It’s fine, thank you for the coffee.” Sasuke spoke firmly and Naruto all but fell over where he was standing. Sakura sharply brought her head back around to look at him. To say she was shocked was an understatement. She barely knew the guy, but in all the interactions they’ve had she couldn’t remember him being so polite. They continued to stare at each other before Sakura had to force herself to turn away from his heated glare. As she finished Sasuke's coffee, Naruto cleared his throat and spoke, “Okay… well. We’re gonna head out since we know you’re about to close up. What are you doing tonight?”  
  
Sakura sighed as she tightened the lid on Sasuke’s cup and threw a sleeve on it. “Unfortunately, nothing fun. I’m going to go study at the library. Tsunade gave me some articles to look at, and I’m sure she’ll want some detailed notes on my thoughts.” She hummed as she picked up the cup and set it down on the counter in front of Sasuke.  
  
She had done that on purpose, not wanting to accidentally brush against him. His face was expressionless as he reached out to take it. “Bleh, that’s a bummer. Sasuke and I are gonna go to the arcade for a bit so if you change your mind just shoot me a text,” Naruto said as he started to walk towards the door. Sasuke didn’t follow him immediately, causing Naruto to pause and look back. Sasuke realized his friend was waiting, and as his eyes bore into Sakura with heat, she blushed. That seemed to be what he had been waiting for as he smirked before taking a drink and walking out behind the blonde who had began to scream into the night about Street Fighter.

* * *

  
  
  
  
As Sakura entered the library she took another sip of the hot black tea she had taken to go from the shop. She was exhausted in general, but her interaction with Sasuke had her wishing she could crawl into bed. She was embarrassed that she had blushed so furiously in front of Naruto like that. Sakura had realized that Naruto knew about their hookup, but still. She had really hoped to pretend like nothing had happened or that she wasn’t still incredibly attracted to him. Damn him and his fine ass face. She rolled her eyes at her inner thoughts as she came into view of her study table. Settling down, she took all her materials out before taking another long sip of her tea. She needed the caffeine to kick in already. Clearing her throat, she turned her attention to the first article Tsunade had given her and eased into the world of medical research.

* * *

  
  
  
  
It was about an hour later when Sakura was brought out of her focus to the sound of footsteps behind her. She tensed her fingers around her pen, pausing in the middle of a sentence she had been writing. When the footsteps stopped behind her, she turned around with a frown.  
  
Sasuke.  
  
“What are you doing here? I thought you were at the arcade with Naruto?” she questioned him in a tone that was harsher than she meant it to be. The raven haired man just shrugged in response as he walked towards her before plopping down in the chair next to her. He had a book with him that he immediately set on the table in front of him. _ Forensic Psychology. _ Sakura blinked at that.  
  
“I was, and now I’m not” he grumbled. Sakura looked away from his book and back to him with a frown. “That doesn’t answer the first part of my question. What, or rather, why are you here?” He hadn’t looked away from her since sitting down and Sakura was starting to feel nervous. He raised an eyebrow at her, slowly looking down to his book which he had just opened. He cleared his throat quietly, “I just wanted to get some studying done, is that a crime or something?” Sakura scoffed openly at that. Yeah, right. He’s really not that slick if he thinks she’ll just believe he came here to study when he knew she’d be here. She’d been here plenty of times over the past three weeks and she hadn’t seen him once.  
  
Sakura’s jaw clenched as she realized he picked the seat next to her and not across from her. God damnit. Taking a deep breath and sighing, Sakura decided to let it go. He was here now and they were alone for the first time since the party, so that's a win, right? She turned back to her work and tried to will herself to not focus on the warmth he exuded next to her. Pressing her lips together, she bent over a little so that her long hair fell to cover her face from him. She was starting to blush over how close he was to her.  
  
Sakura had convinced herself he had been avoiding her, that he didn’t want to see her. Yet here he was, right next to her. So had he changed his mind? She felt him move beside her to take his coat off and she furrowed her brows at how instantaneous the thoughts of his naked body came to her. She brought her hand up and leaned her head against it, making sure to keep her face hidden still. She chewed on her lip, attempting to will herself to calm down. She couldn’t believe how she was reacting to this man, she felt like a teenager. She felt conflicted over the intense desire to fuck him again.  
  
It was like her brain short circuited when she suddenly felt his fingers brush against her cheek and tuck her hair behind her ear. Her lips parted with surprise when he had made contact with her, and she brought herself to slowly look at him. She was confused at his expression and she let it show on her face. His dark eyes were scanning her face with a slight frown. What was he thinking?  
  
Sakura bushed deeper at his scrutiny. “Sasuke?” She whispered after a moment of waiting for him to respond. His hand was resting on the side of her neck, lingering there after having tucked her pink locks back. She watched him lower his eyes to her neck, and seemingly zone out. It was now her who frowned. Why does this need to happen here?  
  
She swallowed thickly before she spoke, unsure of what to say. “Have you been avoiding me?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, and his eyes whipped to hers instantly at her question. “No.” His voice was just as quiet as hers and she couldn’t help the weak smile that tugged at her lips with his instantaneous answer. “You didn’t reach out to me at all so I assumed…” she trailed off, not really needing to finish her sentence for him to know what she was talking about. The hand still resting on the side of her neck tightened slightly and Sakura, who had looked away after speaking, looked back to him now.  
  
He let his hand slowly fall away from her, trailing down the side of her arm before coming to rest in front of him on the table. “I didn’t know what to say. I wanted to though. Naruto offered to give me your number.” She let her pen hit the notebook now, turning to face him fully in her seat. She didn’t speak and so he continued, “The night of the party, we were both really drunk. But I thought you should know that I don’t regret it,” he paused for a moment again to wet his lips, his tongue darting out quickly. Sakura followed it intently, another blush creeping onto her face. “In fact... I’d love to do it again.” He finally turned to look at her now, and Sakura was blown away by him. So he did feel the same. The butterflies in her stomach went crazy over his words, wanting nothing more than to do it again.  
  
He was waiting for her to respond she realized, and so she did. “I… I want to as well. But I was worried about what that might mean.” Sakura spoke with as much honest emotion as she could muster, not wanting to lie to him about her doubts. He let out a breathy chuckle, bringing his hand up to rub his eyes lazily. “Who says it needs to mean anything?” He spoke with such confidence that it emboldened Sakura to lean closer to him, and when he rested his hand on her thigh in response, Sakura knew that he was right.  
  
She was over thinking things. Even now, with the simplest touches he was making her heart race. They barely knew each other, but the sexual tension between them was immense, and after their hookup, she had been thinking about him non-stop. “What about Naruto and our other friends?” She asked him with trepidation. He smirked down at her, slowly leaning closer to her. He smelled of cinnamon and soft pine. It was absolutely intoxicating. “They don’t need to know, it’s our business right?” he whispered to her, his hot breath tickling her lips from how close he was now.  
  
Her eyes had slowly began to glaze over with lust, and in response to his question, she closed the gap between them. His lips were soft and inviting, and she relished the feeling of him pressed so close to her. He let her kiss him for a moment before his lips were finally moving back against hers. It was slow and gentle, hesitant even. The feeling of him sent shivers down her spine, and the wetness she felt gather between her legs was something she had longed for. The hand on her thigh slowly moved upwards to lay on the small of her back, tugging her closer into their kiss.  
  
Sakura moaned when his tongue slipped out to caress her bottom lip, and she parted for him instantly. As their tongues moved together, his other hand that had been on the table came up to rest in her pink hair, grasping a handful and pulling her up to give himself better access to her mouth. Sasuke groaned when Sakura expertly took his bottom lip in between her teeth before soothing it with a quick flick of her tongue.  
  
She wanted to stay like that forever, kissing him with all the passion she could give him. But, unfortunately, they both had to come up for air at some point.  
  
They pulled away at the same time, resting their foreheads against each other. Between their shared labored breathing, Sakura let out a small giggle. Sasuke smirked, his hand never loosening from her hair in an effort to keep her close. “Sasuke,” her eyes were clouded with desire and she had to let him know just how badly she had wanted this to happen. “I… I haven’t stopped thinking about fucking you,” She whispered before letting out another shaky breath. Sasuke growled low in his throat at her words, and then he was on her again. Kissing her hard and dominating her mouth eagerly.  
  
Sakura let out a long moan into his mouth, and he took the opportunity to thrust his tongue into her again. Their tongues danced wildly, the gentleness from a few minutes ago gone and replaced with hunger for each other. Sakura had to bite her lip to stop herself from crying out when he left her mouth to leave hot kisses along her jaw. Her breath left her when he bit down along her pulse and she squirmed when he hummed in satisfaction at the action.  
  
Sasuke pulled away from her slowly and she felt annoyance bubble in her stomach. After he stood, he took her hips and lifted her up onto the table before quickly nestling himself between her legs. Her papers and his book long forgotten, they took each others mouths once again. Sakura wrapped her legs around his hips, drawing him close so she could grind against him. He groaned at the contact and replied with a roll of his own hips, forcing a gasp from her as she felt his hard cock straining through his jeans. She silently praised the gods for the leggings she had decided to wear today, as everytime he expertly rolled his hips into her, she felt his cock against her core easily.  
  
As they started to move their hands over each other in exploration, Sakura remembered that they were in the library. She attempted to pull back to speak but Sasuke was having none of that. He let out a growl before pulling her back to his mouth, silencing whatever words she had planned to speak. Sakura whimpered now, mind lost in the feel of him. His hands moved down her waist before moving underneath her to grip her ass. She yelped into their kiss in surprise as he picked her up off the table to massage her behind. His hands were rough on her ass, and Sakura adored the way they felt. As they parted once again for air, Sasuke laid her down onto the table completely before pulling her close to the edge so her legs could stay wrapped around him.  
  
Sasuke leaned forward to hover over her, hands on either side of her head. Her hair lay under her like a pink halo, and her lips were puffed with abuse. He smirked and let out a low and breathy laugh. “I like you like this,” he whispered as he leaned forward to nibble on her ear. Sakura felt the air leave her lungs when he accompanied the action with another roll of his hips. She heard what sounded like a full on whine leave her throat and she knew she was as needy as she sounded. She gripped his shirt tighter and rolled her hips upwards in response.  
  
He pulled away then and Sakura let loose another whine from her lips at the loss of his warmth. Sasuke smiled down at her, loving what a mess she had become. Truth be told, he was as well but of course he’d never show that. He watched her chest rise and fall with heavy breaths, and he loved the way she licked her lips in anticipation.  
  
“Sasuke…” she spoke suddenly, voice barely audible. “We have to stop, we’re in the library…” she blushed as she looked away from him, suddenly bashful at the situation. Sasuke sighed and turned his attention to the area around him. This side of the library was empty at the moment, and he knew this area was well hidden too. He clucked his tongue before looking back to her, “What are the chances of someone walking by?” he said with a mischievous smirk.  
  
Sakura tensed at his words, knowing exactly where he was going with that. “Sasuke,” she hissed quietly before pushing herself up on her elbows, “ _ No_, we can’t it’s too risky.” she replied, her face still red with arousal.  
  
He laughed softly at the hardened expression on her face, and thought that it mixed well with her lustful eyes. Licking his lips and taking a deep breath, he reached out between them to softly rub against her clothed cunt. Sakura instantly mewled and tilted her head back as he brushed over her clit. “Are you sure about that?” he spoke softly, never stopping his fingers, “I’m sure you could be quiet enough…” he trailed off, watching her brows furrow at his words and her hips buck into his hand.  
  
Sakura closed her eyes and chewed on her lip, trying to concentrate on the feeling of him touching her. Her mind was slowly breaking down, half of it consumed with a need to cum and the other half trying to reason that it was a _ public _ library. It could be fun...a voice inside of her said.  
  
Sasuke smirked and pulled his hand away causing Sakura to growl in frustration. He pushed her back onto the table and leaned over her once again to whisper in her ear, “I know you’ll be a good girl and keep quiet, right?” his hot breath tickled her and she groaned again, feeling her core clench tightly at his words. He smirked, pulling back to give her soft kisses along her jaw before taking her mouth once again. Sakura nestled her hands in his hair and bucked her hips against him as he kissed her hard. She still felt conflicted, but the way she had felt when he called her a ‘good girl’ had her reeling with desire.  
  
She pulled back from his kiss and looked up into his dark eyes, “Yes,” she breathed and as he brought his hand up to cup her cheek she nuzzled into it. His eyes lit up at her and he hummed approvingly in response. “Tell me what you want, Sakura. I want to hear you say it,” desire dripped from his voice and she wanted to punch him for making her say it.  
  
“Stop teasing me and fuck me already, Sasuke” she pouted up at him as her green eyes burned into him. Sasuke simply smirked before leaning down to kiss her once more. It was quick kiss and after a few seconds, he was standing up once again and pulling her up and along with him. She wanted to question him, but knew exactly what he was doing a moment later. He dragged her into the aisle of books beside them, shielding them from further view. It was darker here, even more private than the table.  
  
“Turn around,” he commanded and Sakura obeyed instantly. He gently pushed her front into the bookcase before taking her hands in his and setting them above her. Sasuke’s eyes were on fire as he moved her body into a position he wanted. Sakura instinctively spread her legs apart and Sasuke let out an amused hum. He ground his hips roughly onto her ass and she let out a soft whimper when she felt his hard cock through his jeans. His fingers rubbed soft circles into her hips as he continued to press against her, basking in the whimpers she let out for him.  
  
Sakura was melting into a puddle as her pussy began to ache from lack of contact. He was toying with her, she knew. Sakura was about to tell him off when she felt his hand snake around and dip under her shirt. She gasped at how cold his hand was as he inched closer to her breasts.  
  
Biting her lip in anticipation, she outwardly moaned when he made contact with her sensitive peak. Sasuke ‘tsked’ in disapproval, stilling his hand. “I thought you said you were going to be quiet for me?” Sakura tensed at his words and the raw power that flowed through them.  
  
Worried that he actually would stop, she took in a shaky breath, “I… I will, I promise,” her words were mumbled as her head swam. Sasuke waited a moment longer, listening to her shallow breathing before his fingers were on her and rubbing soft circles around her right nipple.  
  
Sakura arched her back into him at the shock it sent through her and straight to her aching core. She rested her forehead against the bookcase now, trying to focus on staying quiet. Her moans left her in quiet pants as he toyed with her nipples, pinching and pulling them with a roughness that was driving her crazy.  
  
Sasuke’s cock was aching to be sheathed inside of her, but he loved watching her struggle like this. His cock twitched violently at a hoarse whimper she let out and he knew he couldn’t wait longer. Taking one hand away from her breasts he slowly began to pull down her leggings and panties to expose herself to him. She was trembling now, and when he eyed the dripping mess between her legs his mouth watered. “Don’t move,” he whispered into her ear and all she could do was nod in reply.  
  
Sakura heard him unbutton his pants and immediately felt his hard member spring forward onto her bare ass.  
  
Soon the head of his member was against her entrance and in one quick movement he was inside of her. Her eyes rolled back into her head and she couldn’t hold back the loud moan that left her. Sasuke’s hand left her breast and instantly went to cover her mouth. She whimpered into his palm as he stopped moving.  
  
Leaning forward a little more, his other hand that wasn’t around her mouth went to grip her hip to steady himself. He pulled out of her wet cunt slowly only to thrust back into quickly, causing her to let out another moan into his hand.  
  
“I’ll keep my hand around your mouth, so moan as much as you want to now,” he whispered before he pulled back again and rammed into her. His pace picked up fast and soon she was a pile of moans, her legs trembling with every hard thrust he drove into her. His cock was hot and hard inside of her, stretching her in a way that made her feel utterly complete. She let her moans flow into his palm, and she discovered that she loved fucking in public. Him dominating her like this with the threat of being caught was making her even wetter, and she let out a whimper at the thought. Sakura was turning into mush with his words and his touch; his cock giving her the best pleasure she had ever received. This was right. They were right together. She had made the right decision to do this with him.  
  
After a few minutes, Sasuke groaned into her ear as he began to slam into her harder, hitting her cervix in a way that had Sakura screaming beneath is hand. Her moans left her one after the other and the sound of them were music to Sasuke’s ears. He was close and he knew she was too.  
  
“Rub your clit while I fuck you,” he hissed out between thrusts and Sakura complied quickly, moving her right hand off the shelf in front of her to rub circles around her nub. “Good girl,” he moaned softly and Sakura’s legs began to shake. Sasuke realized then that she loved the way he talked to her, and that discovery made his cock pulse inside of her with such desire he began to see red.  
  
He rammed into her over and over, whispering into her ear the dirty things he thought of her- of them. When he licked her ear and asked her if she enjoyed being fucked by his cock, she noisily came- the sound muffled by his hand that tightened it's hold as her orgasm hit her. She felt her moan his name against his hand, and as her core tightened around him she milked him of everything he had. He cursed as he came inside of her, the feeling of her orgasm sending him over the edge with her. He lazily thrust into her a few more times before he was spent, leaning his head against her back. His breathing was heavy and slow as he removed his hand from her mouth and settled it onto her hip.  
  
Sakura couldn’t believe the orgasm that had rocked through her entire body just moments ago. She’d never been with someone who said the things he did, who also clearly enjoyed saying such filthy things to her. She learned that she loved his dirty talk too though, never thinking she’d be the one to enjoy such lewdness. He brought something out of her that she hadn’t known existed.  
  
With reluctance, Sasuke finally removed his cock from her and tucked himself back inside his jeans. He stepped back slowly and with Sakura still leaning against the shelf, he moved to pull her panties and leggings back up for her. They were both a mess, but the one thing about public fucking is that usually there was nothing to clean yourself with.  
  
Sakura sighed as he finished pulling her back together and when she turned around to look at him, he thought his heart would burst. Her hair was a mess of pink tangles and her face was flushed a light red, her swollen lips parted slightly as she tried to get her breathing back to normal. Sasuke smiled softly and leaned forward to kiss her, which she greedily took.  
  
They parted reluctantly and he pulled her back into the open where their things remained untouched. Sakura’s heart was beating loudly, and her hands were still shaky from her orgasm as they sat back down at the table. Sakura’s mind stilled before suddenly she was giggling like a maniac. She put her head onto the table and into her arms as she tried to conceal her ridiculous laughter, even though she knew that wasn’t possible. Soon Sasuke was laughing with her and even though it surprised her, she didn’t stop and neither did he. After they had both quieted down, she sat back up and wiped away the tears that had gathered from her amusement.  
  
“I can’t believe we just did that,” she sighed out, her eyes dancing with excitement. Sasuke looked just as pleased, smirking at her words. “We should do it again sometime,” he drawled and Sakura smiled coyly. “Yeah, okay,” she replied with a whisper. Sasuke looked at her once more before closing his eyes and letting out a breathy chuckle.  
  
Sakura pulled her phone out to check the time. Almost 10 pm. She huffed as she threw it back into her bag. “I should go, it’s getting late," she said with a sad smile.  
  
Sasuke just nodded and let out a soft ‘hn’ in response. He didn't want her to go, but he knew she had a busy life. Sakura rolled her eyes and began to pack up her things with a soft grin on her face. “You should text me…” she said as she finished packing up her stuff. He looked up at her when she stood to leave. “I will,” he promised. Sakura smiled softly before stealing one more quick kiss from him.  
  
Sasuke watched her go before pulling out his phone to text Naruto.  
  
  
  
_(9:48 pm) Hey what’s Sakura’s number?_

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what y'all think!


	4. Shared Baggage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally y'all get to see Sasuke's perspective! I hope that you enjoy his bits as I've actually never written from his pov before. This is about to turn into an actual story, so get ready for the drama
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

  
  
  
  
The sound of ceramic shattering against the linoleum floor of his kitchen is what finally brought Sasuke’s attention away from his book. He had been lazily reading a book about interrogation techniques since he woke up, and when he glanced at the clock, he realized he’d been at it for a few hours now. With a heavy sigh, he set his book down to go check out the noise.  
  
When he entered the room, he saw what he had already expected. His cat, Kasai, had once again found his way onto the counter and knocked over a lone mug Sasuke had foolishly left there. The midnight colored cat sat unamused as he licked his paw, causing the raven haired man’s eye to twitch in annoyance. “Kasai,” he hissed in a scolding tone, and the name was all it took for the cat to jump down and scurry off into the hallway.  
  
Sasuke ‘tsked’ disapprovingly before grabbing a hand towel from one of his kitchen drawers to clean up the broken mess. Sometimes he really just wanted to drop the pesky thing off at the humane society, but despite the outward appearance he gave off to the world, Sasuke _ did _ care about things. His cat being one of them. Kasai had been a gift from Itachi when he graduated high school. He remembered his brother handing him the kitten with a big bright bow around its neck before telling him, “You’re an adult now, Sasuke. It’s time you learned what it means to take care of something else other than yourself.” Sasuke had scoffed at his elder brother, thinking that was the dumbest thing he had ever heard the man say to him.  
  
Six years later though, he was grateful to Itachi for the lesson. Kasai wasn’t all bad, anyways. The fluffy troublemaker slept next to him almost every night and he was grateful for the companionship.  
  
Tossing the last of the ceramic into the trash, Sasuke stretched his arms high above his head with a groan. Rubbing his eyes, he realized he really hadn’t been too productive today. It was a Friday, which was Sasuke’s least busiest day. He taught part-time at the university inbetween his own graduate classes, but his Friday’s had managed to stay free from obligations. Plopping down into a chair at the small table that sat in the middle of his kitchen, Sasuke laid his head down into his arms. He was actually quite bored and he really didn’t feel like reading anymore.  
  
Just like every free moment of his within the past month, his mind began to wander towards a certain pink haired woman. He remembered the first time he saw her, face flushed in annoyance and her brows furrowed in a silent challenge. He had taken an interest in her almost immediately, as she somehow managed to look incredibly delicate, yet strong at the same time.  
  
It didn’t make sense and when she had revealed her hair from underneath her hat, the faintest smell of her cherry shampoo wafting across the table, his mouth had ran dry over the desire that had sprouted within him. Those feelings had annoyed him immensely, and he let her know so, opting to blame it on her bright hair. He had loved the way her cheeks puffed out slightly and the anger that shone in her bright green eyes at his jest.  
  
She had ignored him for the next hour or so, and for once in his life, Sasuke was having trouble concentrating. He gritted his teeth as his eyes drifted to her again and again. When he realized that he had been on the same page of his book for 20 minutes, Sasuke had quietly left her in peace, ignoring the voice in his head that was disappointed in him for not getting her name or number.  
  
Later that evening while laying in bed, he had come to the conclusion that she was probably the most unique woman he had ever seen, and the confusion over his instantaneous infatuation with her had him questioning his sanity. He rarely interacted with women so freely, preferring his isolation. Of course, that didn’t mean that Sasuke hadn’t been with anyone before. He had dated when he was younger, and he had slept with many. This woman was different from all of them, though. He knew it from the moment she had opened her mouth to ask him why he was at that damned table.  
  
Women often fawned over him, trying to please him in any way they could. The bubblegum colored woman had not done that at all, in fact, she had seemingly scolded him. She hadn’t been afraid to challenge him. Sasuke had loved the way her face had contorted in anger, juxtaposed by the blush that broke out when he stared at her too long. That first time meeting her in the library was his second favorite interaction with her there. He smirked as he thought about his new favorite- fucking her against the shelves last week. His cock twitched painfully in his pants at the memory.  
  
Smirking deviously, Sasuke pulled his phone out to message her. They had only texted a few times since their tryst in the library, attempting to find time to see each other again. However, this past week had been too busy for them both.  
  
Sasuke typed quickly, his thumbs moving across the keyboard with ease.  
  
( _ 1:42 pm) Hey what are you up to tonight? _ _  
_ _  
_ She didn’t respond right away like he had hoped, so reluctantly, he got up and headed to take a shower. He washed quickly not wanting to prolong it, before jumping out and wrapping a towel around his waist. He moved to the mirror before running his hand against it to clear the steam that had gathered there. Sasuke rubbed his jaw, grimacing at the scruff that lay there.  
  
After shaving, Sasuke walked into his bedroom and picked his phone up off the bed. Sakura had replied.  
  
_ (1:58 pm) Ino and I are thinking about going to the bar tonight. Think you and Naruto would wanna tag along? _ _  
_ _  
_ He couldn’t help the frown that tugged at his mouth. Sasuke had wanted them to spend some time alone, as they had yet to do that outside of the library. However, beer sounded nice and hanging out with friends didn’t sound like a bad idea either. Especially if she’d be there.  
  
They had both decided to keep the fact that they were sleeping together a secret, knowing that their friends would try to stick their noses in their business. That meant they would have to act as just friends tonight. He inwardly grumbled at the thought, wanting nothing more than her body wrapped around his.  
  
Resigned to his fate, Sasuke dialed Naruto’s number to tell him the plan.

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
Sakura and Ino had arrived at the bar earlier than everyone else, wanting to snag a spot before happy hour started. The table they chose was towards the back of the room, slightly hidden from the bar area which tended to get very crowded as the night went on.  
  
Sakura closed her eyes and sighed into her beer as it hit her lips, relishing the bitter taste of it. Her week had been incredibly busy and she _ really _ needed quality time with her friends… and alcohol. Tsunade had her shadowing her in the mornings, and the rest of her days had been jam packed with work and school. Her professors must have gotten together in an attempt to screw her over by scheduling their exams all on the same day. Her brain was mush by now, having spent all her free time studying. But, the week was finally done and over with. That afternoon, Ino had convinced her to go out tonight as a form of ‘self care’. Sakura had snorted at the phrasing, all too convinced her friend had no idea what self care really was.  
  
When Sasuke had texted her she had been sad to say she had plans, but Ino had caught her frowning at her phone before she could reply. Sakura had played it off as best as she could, but she knew that Ino was too smart. She didn’t openly acknowledge that her and Sasuke had _ something _ going on, but she knew her friend suspected it. Ino had shrugged at Sasuke’s text and mentioned that they might as well invite the friend group too.  
  
And so, girl’s night turned into friend’s night. Naruto and Hinata were tagging along with Sasuke. Sai was working, much to Ino’s disappointment, but managed to get Shikamaru to agree to come. How she did that though was a mystery to Sakura. The man barely socialized and she thought for sure she’d seen the last of him for at least 6 months after he had attended Ino’s huge party. Kiba had said he might show up later, but he didn’t really know. So for the moment, it was just a merry band of six.  
  
Sakura was forced out of her thoughts as Ino elbowed her roughly in the ribs. Coughing on the sip she had just taken, she sent a sharp glare into her friend’s icy blue depths. “Ino what the fuck?” she spit out and Ino burst out into a cackle. “Shit, sorry I didn’t mean to do it so hard!” she snickered before bringing her palm to rest against her chest in an effort to calm her laughter. “I was talking to you and you were completely zoned out,” she said after a moment. Sakura shrugged and reached up to tighten the ponytail she had hastily thrown her hair into before they left. Neither girl had dressed up, opting for casual. Sakura had on a pair of jeans and a red hoodie, making sure to leave the zipper down just enough to show some cleavage. Her hair was messy, but it worked for her and the makeup she put on was minimal at best. Ino looked much the same with jeans and a baggy old Aerosmith t-shirt. The only difference was that Ino had actually taken the time to do her makeup before carefully braiding her long hair off to the side.  
  
Sakura turned to her best friend, taking a long sip of her beer in the process. “What did you say, I’m sorry.” she replied. Ino smirked as her gaze left hers and ventured towards the front of the bar. “Forget it, the boys and Hinata are here.” Sakura followed her gaze to see the trio glancing around the bar looking for them. Ino stood up and yelled Naruto’s name across the bar, which caused Sakura to groan and slap a palm to her face out of embarrassment.  
  
She sighed loudly before taking another swig and she almost choked when surprisingly, Sasuke slid into the booth depositing himself right next to her. She stilled in her movements for a quick second before feeling her body relax. A part of Sakura was screaming with joy at him being next to her after so many days, but the other half knew it would now be harder not to give anything away to her friends. Why did he _ have _ to sit next to her? She turned to look at his face as he removed his coat and scarf, and she was instantly breathless. She went to take another sip to cover her flustered appearance, only to find her glass was empty.  
  
She frowned and slammed her empty glass on the table, causing Ino to jump next to her. Oops. Sakura was flustered by the handsome man next to her, so to cover it up, she quickly addressed the table. “Alright. I’m out and Ino almost is as well. So which one of you three wants to grab the next round?” she spoke firmly as she dragged her finger to point at the three newcomers. “Ino and I got the table so one of you three should go.” Sakura spoke matter of factly. Naruto grinned before standing up, his chair scraping against the floor loudly. “You sound more like Grandma Tsunade everyday, Sakura,” He laughed heartily at the frown that appeared on Sakura’s face. Wiping tears from the corner of his eyes, Naruto spoke again. “I got it, no worries. What do you guys want? Should we just do a pitcher or two?” Sakura shook her head, “Nah, let’s wait until happy hour starts. We still have another 20 minutes until then.” she replied.  
  
“Whiskey for me.” Sasuke mumbled as he leaned back into the booth and crossed his arms over his chest. Sakura couldn’t help the way her eyes lazily moved to trace his muscles. She smiled softly, looking back up to Naruto. “I’m good with whatever. Something strong please, I’ve had a week.” she huffed out.  
  
Naruto took everyone else’s order before heading up to the bar to grab them.  
  
Sakura turned to Ino, leaning forward and putting her elbows onto the table. “Where’s Shika?” she questioned. Ino just shrugged, “He’ll show up for sure but who knows when. The man is perpetually late.” Sakura nodded before looking over to Hinata. The purple haired woman was on her phone, frowning at something.  
  
Naruto was back quicker than she expected with drinks, and once everyone was settled they began to idly chat about their week. Or rather, vent about it. Naruto complained about his internship at the Hokage’s office, Hinata complained about her family, Sasuke complained about a student in his criminology class, and Ino complained about not being able to find a particular species of plant for purchase online. Sakura had contributed as well, groaning about how hard Tsunade had been on her this week.  
  
An hour passed and finally their drinks were replaced by two large pitchers of the strongest beer they could get. Shikamaru waltzed in shortly afterwards with Kiba trailing behind him. The two boys eagerly fell into the conversation.  
  
Sakura smiled into her glass at the joy she felt bubbling inside of her. Being with her friends after a long week was just what she needed. She took in her surroundings silently as she felt the alcohol swim through her. The bar was packed with people now and she knew they were right to come early for a table. Charlie’s was a popular campus bar, often with a line out the door by 11. The voices of the crowd drifted through the bar as people drank and conversed with each other.  
  
She turned to watch her friends now, choosing to drink and just exist for the moment. Sakura had drifted out of a conversation with Kiba a little bit ago and had yet to return to it. No one pressed her to rejoin, and she was grateful for it. Ino and Kiba were talking about some meme page on Facebook now, while Naruto, Shika, and Hinata talked about the festival that was coming to town next month for Christmas.  
  
Sakura watched them with amusement glittering in her eyes, before quickly she remembered the stoic man next to her. She hadn’t meant to ignore him. Lazily she turned her gaze from the others to Sasuke, and she was happy to find him already looking at her. She silently raised her eyebrow in question and he smirked in reply. Sakura let out a breathy chuckle, shaking her head at him as she took another swig.

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
Sasuke was having a hard time keeping his eyes off of her. He was berating himself inwardly for it too, as he prayed to whatever god existed that his idiot best friend didn’t notice. He didn’t want the headache that was Naruto, incessantly pestering him about Sakura. The dumbass had already teased Sasuke relentlessly about their hook up at the party, and if he found out they were still sleeping together, it would only get worse.  
  
Sasuke took a drink and once again, looked away from his friends to watch her. Her emerald eyes sparkled in the low light of the bar. She was watching everyone talk, taking sips of her beer every few minutes. With everyone occupied and Sakura clearly zoned out, Sasuke took the opportunity to take in her appearance unabashedly. He greedily ran his eyes over her, feeling himself harden at his exploration. His eyes traveled from her plump breasts, upwards. The way she had her hair up exposed her slender neck in a way that made his mouth water. Her creamy skin was begging to be marked, and he could only imagine the mewls that would spill from her plump lips if he could give into that temptation now.  
  
After basking in his lewd thoughts so recklessly, Sasuke tried to think of something else in an effort to calm his libido. However, as he tried to come up with something, Sakura turned to look at him. She raised her eyebrow at him in question and his hand twitched at his side, wanting to reach out and touch her.  
She had caught him staring, but he didn’t feel particularly upset about that. In fact, he wanted her to know. Sasuke smirked and the way her breath left her lips with a sweet laugh, made him feel incredibly warm. He offhandedly hoped it was just the alcohol.  
  
Feeling emboldened by her laughter, Sasuke darted his eyes around the table to see if any of their friends were paying attention to him. They weren’t, and so Sasuke took the opportunity to swiftly glide his hand to rest on her upper thigh. He watched her gasp softly, before her cheeks tinted a soft red. He loved how expressive she was, even when she was clearly trying to fight it. His smirk grew as she opened her mouth to say something, but before she could, Ino interrupted her.  
  
Damn that woman.  
  
“Hey forehead, let’s go take some shots!” Ino’s face broke into a loose smile and Sakura shut her mouth quickly, eyes darting away from him. She seemed to ponder something for a moment before she agreed. Sasuke squeezed her thigh underneath the table before she moved, and he actually felt her body shiver. His eyes darkened as he watched her walk away from the table with Ino, eyes devouring her curves.  
  
Taking a sip of his beer, he turned back to the four people left at the table and immediately frowned at the grin that Kiba was giving him. _ Fuck _ . His eyes looked to Naruto and Hinata, who thankfully, were too into their discussion to care about what was happening around them and Shikamaru was on his phone ignoring the same beer that had been in front of him for the past 20 minutes. His frown deepened as he fixed a glare on Kiba, who for some reason took his threat in stride, his grin only growing. How utterly annoying. He scoffed, getting out of the booth before heading towards the men’s bathroom.

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
Sakura clinked her shot glass against Ino’s. Salt, shot, lime.  
  
She winced and shook her head, a shiver running down her as the tequila pooled in her stomach. Ino laughed at her, having much the same reaction. “So, I see you’re sitting pretty close to Sasuke…” she wiggled her eyebrows and Sakura rolled her eyes in response. “He’s just sitting next to me, Pig. Mind your business,” she scolded, sticking her tongue out in jest for good measure. Ino hummed an ‘mhm’ in response before calling the bartender back over for two more tequila shots.  
  
Sakura leaned her weight against the bar, elbow resting on the hard surface with her head in her hand. She let out a sigh as she scanned the room. It was mostly undergraduate kids who came to this bar, but she was pleasantly surprised to see some of her classmates here too.  
  
Suddenly, Ino grabbed her hip and whirled her around to face the bar. Sakura’s drunk brain stalled out at the motion, and had to hold onto the edge of the counter to prevent herself from swaying. “Sakura,” Ino hissed low, “Jiro is here.” Her stomach suddenly felt like it had been dropped down 3 flights of stairs.  
  
“Where?” Sakura mumbled. “He’s towards the back left. Looks like he’s with a group of guys.” she remarked coldly. Sakura sighed heavily as their next shots were put in front of them. “He hasn’t noticed you yet, let’s take these shots quick and head back to the table.” Ino said. In a few quick motions, her belly was burning once again. She welcomed the numbness now. Her mind spinning at the thought of even being in the same room as Jiro after Ino’s party.  
  
The blonde grabbed her hand to drag her away, and Sakura took the time to look to the corner to see where her ex was. She instantly regretted doing so. The pinkette paled as she made eye contact with him. _ Shit _ . She looked away quickly as her arms broke out with goosebumps. She felt like prey catching the eye of a predator who would surely eat her.  
  
Sakura let Ino drag her along back towards the table all the while trying to calm herself down. Her body swayed slightly before collapsing in the booth back next to Sasuke.  
  
“Whoa Sakura, you good?” Naruto looked to her with a frown. Sakura’s head swirled and she let out an exasperated sigh at his question. “Yep never been better,” she slurred out before bursting into nervous giggles. Naruto looked away from the drunken woman across from him to Ino. “What the fuck?” he said, seriously perplexed. Ino shrugged, “Jiro is here.” she said pointedly. Next to Sakura, Sasuke immediately tensed up at Ino’s words.  
  
Her laughter subsiding, Sakura cleared throat to speak. “It’s fine,” she said and Naruto’s face contorted into one of disapproval. “He noticed me as Ino and I walked away, but he’s with a bunch of people.” Ino swiveled towards her. “He noticed you?” she hissed. Sakura just nodded loosely, a deep breath leaving her. Ino crossed her arms and mumbled something that Sakura couldn’t understand.  
  
After a few moments of awkward silence, Sakura made a decision. “I’m just gonna go home, I think.”  
  
She saw her friends giving each other knowing looks out of the corner of her eye as she fished her phone from her purse. Pulling out her phone to check the time, she scoffed. _ 11:32 pm _ .  
  
Sakura knew she was already way passed the point where she should have stopped drinking, those tequila shots had pushed her over the edge. Gumbling underneath her breath, she got up carefully in an attempt not to show how drunk she really was. She leaned down to give Ino a quick hug, and before the blonde could say anything to her she was walking towards the door. Sakura knew it was rude of her.  
  
As she walked through the crowd of people, she hesitantly looked to the back of the bar to see if Jiro was still there. He was making eye contact with her once again, ignoring the laughter of the man next to him and the scowl that graced her features must have been particularly harsh because his response was instantaneous. His eyes snapped from expressionless to pure anger, and Sakura quickly turned away once more as she finally made it to the door.  
  
The cold November air hit her face sharply and she let go of the breath she had been holding, watching the heat from her mouth expand into a cloud in front of her. She closed her eyes to steady herself before throwing the coat she had been carrying in her arms, onto her petite frame. Sakura’s world was slightly blurry and she felt sick over the way Jiro had looked at her. She knew her friends would understand, but she would still apologize tomorrow.  
  
As Sakura walked off into the night, she thought about how she hoped Sasuke wouldn’t be upset with her for running off. Even though they finally had the chance to get to know each other a little bit better, for some reason, she had been too shy to start a conversation.  
When he had put his hand onto her thigh, all she could think about was kissing him and it drove her mad. It had taken everything in her not to jump his bones right there and kiss his stupid, handsome face. She pouted at the thought and remarked, not for the first time, that he made her feel like a teenager again. Thankfully Ino had interrupted her before she could say anything stupid.  
  
Continuing down the sidewalk, she was about halfway home when she heard a cough ring out into the night somewhere behind her. She froze, inhaling sharply at the sound. Slowing turning her head around to look behind her, she was grateful to find no one there. The street was as empty as it usually was this time of night. Taking another deep breath, she continued onward. However, with each passing moment, she felt herself getting scared. She hadn’t even thought…  
  
With haste she dug her phone out of her purse and called the one person who she knew would help her feel better.  
  
“Hello?” Sasuke’s voice sounded muffled, the noises of the bar loud in the background. “Hey,” she spoke in a hushed tone, “Can you… maybe talk to me for a minute? I think someone is following me.” She didn’t hear anything but bar noises for a moment, and then suddenly the line was clear. “What?” he sounded worried, if that was even possible. It already made her feel a bit better.  
  
“Did you just walk out of the bar to take my phone call?” she questioned smugly. He let out a throaty chuckle at that and Sakura felt wetness pool between her legs.  
  
“Maybe,” he drawled. “What’s wrong?”  
  
Sakura sighed into the receiver, as she picked up her pace. “I just… I thought I heard someone following me and I got scared.” her voice had lowered to a whisper. “Because of Jiro?” he questioned back at her. Sakura winced. “...yeah.” she reluctantly admitted. He let out a ‘hmm’ and Sakura turned the corner onto her street. He cleared his throat when she didn’t speak further. “Do you want me to come over?” his voice had dropped to a such a low volume, Sakura shivered.  
  
Her heart sped up at his question and she chewed her lip in thought before speaking. “Are you sure you want to?” She asked him. Sakura thought he was probably smirking by now. “Yeah, just text me your address and I’ll leave as soon as I get it.”  
  
She felt her heart clench at his words, and a soft smile ghosted itself onto her lips. “I’m walking up to my door now, I’ll send it to you as soon as I get inside.” she let some excitement shine through in her words as she unlocked her front door and slipped inside. He was quiet on the other end.  
  
“I’m going to hang up now and text you the address…” she was whispering once again. “Okay.” he replied. “...Okay.” she echoed back.

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
Sasuke had finished his beer off quickly before throwing some cash into Naruto’s hands and mumbling some excuse out before leaving. He saw the skeptical looks his friends were giving him, but he brushed them off. They could be as suspicious as they wanted to be, but neither him nor Sakura would give them the satisfaction of confirming it.  
  
He had looked for Jiro before leaving, rage simmering below the surface of his body. He hadn’t seen the man, which unfortunately made Sasuke think that Sakura might have been right about someone following her. He clenched his jaw as the cold blew into him while he walked towards Sakura’s house. He looked around and thought it was a bit strange she had a house in this neighborhood, as it was mostly families who lived here and not students. He just filed that away as something to ask her about later.  
  
Finally, her house came into view. Sasuke walked up the steps of her porch silently and knocked firmly on her door a few times. He heard her shuffling around inside for a moment before the door swung open and she was in front of him with a blush on her face. His eyes were instantly drawn to her shapely legs. She had changed out of her jeans and into a pair of silky green pajama shorts. They hugged her hips loosely, complementing the slender dip of her waist which was covered by a plain white tank top. He noticed she wasn’t wearing a bra either and he smirked as he looked back into her eyes, unashamed of the way he had been checking her out.  
  
Sakura’s blush grew as she stepped aside to let him in. “Don’t look at me so lewdly while standing on my front porch, it’s not respectable.” she grumbled as she locked the door behind him. He threw off his shoes with a laugh. “I’ve fucked you against a bookcase in a public library, and you’re worried about me checking you out on your front porch at 12:30 in the morning?” he looked back at her with an eyebrow raised and a smirk. She scoffed at that as she walked passed him to what he assumed was her kitchen. “You’re right, nevermind.” she spoke, and Sasuke knew she was rolling her eyes even if he couldn’t see her face at the moment.  
  
He followed her into the kitchen to see she had made tea. “Do you want some?” she asked him as he took a seat at her table. “Aa.” he replied as he took in his surroundings. Her kitchen was soft like her, but it was also a little too… domestic for someone her age. The walls were a muted red color, and the floors a dark cedar wood. Her fridge seemed new and upon it were random magnets that held up a few papers. Everything else though, the cupboards and the countertop looked worn and a little too used for someone who lived alone. Even the table seem clunky, like it was from an era before them. His mind went back to the thought he had earlier. “Why do you live in this neighborhood?”  
  
He watched her shoulders tense up at his question as she poured their tea into two black mugs. Maybe he had sounded too rough? Sasuke wasn’t used to talking this much with anyone, except for Naruto or Itachi. She grabbed the two mugs and sat one in front of him before sliding into the chair across the table from him. She wrapped her slender fingers around the mug, before taking a moment to herself. He assumed she was thinking.  
  
“You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to,” he said as he lifted the steaming mug to his lips to blow some air into it in an attempt to cool. Sasuke never took his eyes off of her, and he noticed her body soften at his words. He narrowed his eyes slightly, wishing he could read her mind.  
  
They were silent for a moment longer, both basking in the comfortable feelings brought on by being in each others presence. Sasuke took a sip of his tea, enjoying the spicy taste of it. It tasted of cinnamon and vanilla. He wasn’t the biggest fan of herbal tea, preferring more bland flavors, but this was fine.  
  
Sakura cleared her throat finally as she looked up to him to speak. “It belonged to my parents,” she spoke softly and he frowned at the sadness that swirled beneath her bright viridian eyes. She blinked quickly, and the emotion was gone. Replaced by… resolution? “They passed away a few years ago and left it to me along with some money as well,” she licked her lips and continued, “I can afford to move closer to the city if I really wanted to but…” Sasuke nodded his head in understanding. “You don’t want to let it go,” he filled in the rest of her sentence for her.  
  
She looked surprised at his response and he quickly spoke before she could. “My parents passed away when I was in elementary school,” he shrugged, “so I get it.” It didn’t hurt him as much as it used to, as he had lived most of his life now without them. Itachi had raised him afterwards, and at this point in his life, he was generally happy when he thought back to his childhood. He had learned to let go a while ago, but he vividly remembered the struggle of doing so. If her parents had died only just a few years ago, he imagined she still was still having a hard time. Sasuke’s heart clenched at the thought of her grieving.  
  
“I’m sorry to hear that,” she replied with a frown. Sasuke sighed in return, opting to take a sip of his tea instead of speaking. She mirrored him as he realized the air around them was now a bit too sad for his liking. He shouldn’t have asked that question, but he was glad he did. It was another piece of the puzzle that was Sakura.  
  
“Do you wanna watch a movie or something?”  
  
He blinked at her question. Happy for the change in direction, he smirked at her and let out an amused ‘Hn’. She smiled then, all the tension from moments ago gone. She stood and took their mugs to her sink before turning around to walk out into the living room, nodding at him to follow.  
  
“Couch or bed?” she turned and asked him with a sly smile creeping upwards. Sasuke chuckled at her question, the sound rumbling deep in his chest. He knew what that question _ really _ meant.  
  
“Bed.” he replied as he felt his eyes darken and his pulse quicken. She blushed at him, and on instinct he reached out to cup her cheek with his left hand. Running his thumb along her skin slowly, he marveled at how soft she was as she leaned into his touch. She closed her eyes and took in a deep breath.  
  
He realized then, that this moment was more intimate than he intended it to be. Reluctantly, he pulled away from her. His fingers twitched at his side over the loss of contact.  
  
Sasuke stood a head taller than her, and he watched her with tenderness as she stood up on her toes to give him a quick peck on the cheek.  
  
Turning on her heels she padded across the carpet in the living room and up the stairs. Sasuke followed her a moment later, finding her in the master bedroom looking through movies on a shelf. Her room was exactly how he had pictured it, yet at the same time, not. Her bed lay against the wall, situated in the middle of the room. It was pretty big, probably a queen, and the sheets were red to match the numerous pillows she had leaned against the headboard. Across from her bed was a decently sized screen tv on a stand, and he was surprised to see a PS4 hooked up with games next to it. That’s also something he didn’t know about her.  
  
  
He scanned her walls to find oak dressers squished between multiple bookcases. She had to have had hundreds of books, and Sasuke came to the conclusion that he really liked that about her. She turned now to see him looking around her room, and she spoke, “Sorry, it’s kind of a mess… I hadn’t planned for company.” Sasuke scoffed. If this was a mess, than he didn’t know what clean even was. He had been standing in place staring for too long, he noticed. “It’s not a mess,” he replied as he settled himself on her bed sitting up to lean against the headboard. Sakura shrugged in response as she went to put the movie into her playstation. “What movie?” he asked.  
  
Sakura ignored him, focused on her task. After a moment, she grabbed the controller and shut the light off, walking towards him. Sasuke watched her eyes light up as she jumped onto the bed with a bounce and settled next to him, her shoulder leaning against his. He raised his eyebrow in question at her, and she snickered. “Not that it really matters…” she eyed him with mirth and he smirked, “but it’s Fight Club.” He snorted at her choice of movie. He never expected her to be a fan of something like that, it made him think once again about how much he _ really _ didn’t know her.  
  
She pressed play and turned the controller off, setting it down next to her on the stand. Sasuke knew exactly what she meant by the movie not mattering, and the second she set the controller down, he was on her.

* * *

  
  
  
  
Sakura wasn’t as drunk as she had been earlier, but the way Sasuke felt against her now was like taking another shot. His warmth embraced her quickly and she arched her back into him as his body moved to fit between her legs. His rough hands snaked underneath her tank top to lightly caress her stomach, before gently moving around to her back. He pulled her tight against him with one hand, removing the other to prop himself up as he leaned down to take her mouth.  
  
She sighed into the kiss, the taste of cinnamon and vanilla from the tea they had shared still lingered on his lips. Sakura moaned softly when he swept his tongue along her bottom lip before nibbling it, and she parted her mouth for him in response. Their tongues danced together slowly, taking the time to explore each other’s mouths. Sasuke groaned into her mouth and tightened his grip on her as she ground her hips upwards, wanting to ease some of the tension building between her thighs. His hand that had been rubbing soft circles on the small of her back, softly began to move again. She shivered as he dusted his fingers over the dip of her waist and up towards her breasts.  
  
They broke apart then, both gasping for air. Sasuke didn’t pause long to catch his breath though before he had moved lower, swirling his tongue along her pulse point. She let out a soft whimper at the feeling of his slick appendage on her neck, and Sasuke hummed in satisfaction as he took her skin softly between his teeth. Sakura felt her core clench and she arched her back again in a desperate need to grind against him. She flushed as his fingers that had stilled underneath her breast began to move again, rubbing the sensitive spot lightly as the attention he was paying to her neck grew rougher.  
  
She threw her head back onto the pillow behind her and let out another loud whimper as his fingers finally moved to toy with her nipple. He whirled his finger around it, loving the way it puckered underneath his touch. She felt felt him smirk against her neck at the heady moan she let out when he quickly took her sensitive peak between his fingers and pinched it, rolling it between them before pulling back with a quick tug. Sakura swiftly brought her hands away from the sides of her head to grasp his biceps and she couldn’t help but dig her nails into him as the pleasure threatened to overwhelm her. He lifted his head away from her neck and he chuckled darkly as he blew a puff of air onto the abused marks. Sakura squirmed underneath him at the sensation, bucking her hips once more and whining when they met nothing but air. Sasuke had sat up on his knees to watch her and she realized this was not the first time he had sat back to admire his work.  
  
Sakura felt sexy underneath his hot gaze, his eyes roaming her face and figure like she was a meal he couldn’t wait to devour. Not wanting to stop for too long, she reached down and pulled her tank top up and over her head, tossing the clothing off the bed. Her nipples were already hard from his touch, and when they hit the cold air she bit her lip to keep herself from gasping. Sasuke’s eyes burned stronger as she exposed herself for him, and she watched his mouth twitch slightly upwards.  
  
One of his hands reached out then and took one of her creamy breasts into his hand, squeezing softly before rubbing his thumb gently along her hard peak. She kept eye contact with him as she leaned into his touch and moaned, wishing he wasn’t between her thighs so she could rub them together. Without anything to grind into, Sakura squirmed, her body attempting to relieve the ache that was building in her core. He continued to fondle her, never taking his eyes off of her face.  
  
Sakura tried to keep her eyes open, the sight of him was too arousing not too, but when he brought his empty hand to her other breast to play with that one as well, she had to close her eyes as pleasure overtook her. She squeezed her eyes shut at the sensation of him fondling both of her breasts, and every time he squeezed on one of her nipples she moaned. He picked up his pace, tugging and squeezing her sensitive buds and the moans tumbled out of her between pants. Her pussy was on fire from not having anything to grind herself onto, and her breathing became rougher.  
  
Just when she thought she actually might cum from the stimulation he was showing her, his hands retracted. A whine left her throat and after a few quick breaths, she weakly opened her eyes to look at him. His face held a smile so deliciously evil, that Sakura couldn’t help the gasp that left her. Raven hair fell around his face, framing dark eyes that glittered with arousal. The sight made Sakura wanted to reach up and touch him but her entire body was numb from his touch.  
  
“Were you about to cum?” he said with a mischievous smirk as he finally leaned down to hover over her. He waited for her to answer and when she didn’t, he slowly brought his knee upwards to rest between her thighs. At the change in position, her mind immediately snapped like a rubberband. The blush on her face darkened as she squeezed her eyes shut. Her lips parted and her body began to react on it’s own, unaware of herself. Reaching up to grip his arms once more, she bucked her hips wildly against his thigh. The feeling of finally being able to rub her throbbing clit against something, nearly had her screaming with relief. Soft whimpers tumbled from her mouth, incoherent of the world around her.  
  
Above her Sasuke watched her closely, completely drunk on her sounds and the feel of her body. His cock was harder than ever, pulsing painfully in his jeans as he had resolved himself to teasing her for a while longer. He had been surprised at how easily it had been to get her close to the edge, with just the stimulation of her breasts, no less. To say that he had loved it would be a massive understatement.  
  
He let a groan leave him as he watched her greedily rub herself against him. She was beautiful like this, and the way her skin glowed from the faint light of the TV, he thought maybe this was the best sight he’d ever laid his eyes on. With one last look in an attempt to burn the sight into his memory, he pulled his leg back down and Sakura growled in frustration. Not giving her any time to react, he sat back onto his heels, quickly moving his hands around the edge of her shorts to carefully slide them down.  
  
Sakura chewed on her bottom lip roughly has he threw her shorts and finally rid himself of his shirt, exposing his hard muscles to her hungry eyes. Her clit throbbed and her mouth watered at the sight of his cock springing free from his boxers. With him completely naked, Sakura finally found the energy to move. She watched his eyes widen as she sat up and pushed him backwards onto her bed.  
  
With haste, she gripped his large member in her hand and tugged softly, rubbing her thumb along the head and watching his precum smear. She heard Sasuke curse at the contact, and when she leaned forward to slowly lick the precum off of him, he let out a deep groan that had Sakura’s core clenching once again. She wanted to make him feel as good as he made her feel, and so she finally took him into her mouth, swirling her tongue down his shaft as she took him all. He was large, she had already known that, but in her mouth he felt so much bigger. Her eyes stung as she took him to the back of her throat, willing herself not to gag. His hands reached out to grab fistfuls of her long pink hair, causing sakura to moan. He bucked upwards at the vibrations around him, and this time Sakura couldn’t stop herself from gagging. He quickly pulled her mouth off of him, and forced her to look up at him with a tug of her hair. His eyes were clouded with lust and she watched his cock twitch at the sight of her, saliva dripping from her mouth and an equally lustful look in her eyes.  
  
Sakura knew what a man like Sasuke wanted. She gripped the sheets before she spoke, slightly nervous at the proposition she was about to make.  
  
“Fuck my mouth.” she whispered, willing her voice to show him how needy she was for him. His cock twitched again and he threw his head back with a groan, one hand leaving her hair to run itself through his. After a few seconds, he let out a shaky breath before lifting his head back up to look down at her. His eyes were darker than she had ever seen them, hot and heavy with desire. She squirmed under his gaze and bit her lip as the grip in her hair tightened.  
  
“Are you sure?” he spoke seriously, even with his voice still thick with pleasure. Sakura felt nothing but warmth inside of her at his question. She had thought about his demeanor and how kinky he had been at the library, and she had promised herself she would explore this side of herself with him. She had never had a man like him. A man whose touch burned her skin and whose words set flame to her heart and body.  
  
“Yes,” she replied with certainty. He licked his lips, and nodded at her before releasing her hair. “Get up.” he commanded and she complied, following him off the bed. As soon as her feet touched the ground he was pulling her close to him and kissing her. She was caught off guard for a second before she fully leaned into his kiss with a sigh. The kiss was quick and he was soon pulling away from her. He placed a quick kiss on her forehead, and Sakura broke out into a blush at the tender gesture.  
  
Her heart was beating wildly inside her chest. She hadn’t had this type of sexual relationship with a man before, but she was definitely no virgin. She knew what she was doing when she was with him. Still, he made her blush like she was some innocent lamb.  
  
“Kneel.” his voice was strong as he cupped her chin and looked down into her eyes. She nodded weakly, head swimming with excitement, before falling down to her knees in front of him. His cock was still rock solid, and her mouth watered thinking about how much she wanted to taste his cum. She was staring at it now, and he brought one of his hands down to grip a fistful of her hair once more. He used his hold to turn her face upwards to face him. His smirk was wicked and his eyes held such adoration for her, that she knew she would really do anything this man asked of her. One hand tight in her pink locks, he brought his free hand down to trace his thumb along her lips. His touch was sensual and soft, and Sakura instinctively parted her lips to take his digit into her mouth. He watched her with a heated gaze as she swirled her tongue around his finger, sucking lightly in an attempt to tease him. She watched something change in his eyes and his thumb pressed down on her tongue to stop her ministrations. He kept his thumb there for a moment, eyeing her open mouth. She felt her wetness throb under his watchful gaze and he must have known because his smirk grew in response. “Keep that pretty little mouth open for me” he whispered huskily. Her eyes glazed over with pure lust at his words. He removed his thumb from her mouth slowly, watching her intently as he gripped the base of his cock. “Don’t look away while I fuck you.”  
  
Saliva began to drip out of the corner of her open mouth as she nodded in response. He brought the tip of his cock to her lips and she eagerly took him in. She wanted to close her eyes at the feeling of him entering her, but she forced herself to keep her eyes on him. His face contorted into one of pleasure as her heat enveloped him and she moaned at the sight. His grip tightened in her hair at the vibrations and let out a low curse. He stopped for a moment before he began to move, thrusting himself in and out of her at a slow pace. Sakura felt her clit throb as he started entering her deeper, hitting the back of her throat with each thrust. She shakily brought one of her hands off of the carpet and began to touch herself, instantly moaning as her fingers entered her folds.  
  
Sasuke threw his head back at the sight of her touching herself while he fucked her hot mouth. He had never had a woman like her before, and the fire that had been building inside of him was threatening to break free. He had dreamt about fucking her like this, taking her mouth as he pleased. The reality of the situation was better than his dream though, it was fucking heaven.  
  
He began to thrust into her faster, relishing in the feeling of her sucking him every time he pulled out. She was skilled with her mouth and it only spurred him on more. He furrowed his brows in concentration as he lifted his head forward again to watch himself fuck her. He moaned at the sight of her still watching his face, eyes dark and lids low. “Fuck, you feel so good” he hissed out as he picked up his pace once more. He was fucking her roughly now, and she was taking him with ease, moans tumbling out of her throat as she touched herself. Sweat began to pool on his forehead and his breathing became tight, moans bursting forth from his chest in quick pants. He was going to cum soon. But first…  
  
“You’re such a good girl” he panted, eyes wide and burning with desire. “Cum for me, Sakura.” A deep moan tumbled from her throat and wrapped around his cock, forcing him to seriously restrain himself from using all of his strength on her. He let a chuckle fall from his lips between pants as he watched her fuck herself faster. He realized he was starting to unravel, the control over the beast within him begging to break free. He roughly took her hair in both of his hands before pulling back and slamming into her. She gagged as he hit the back of her throat repeatedly and he almost had to look away at the way her throat closed around him tightly with every thrust. Her eyes were glowing with pleasure now as tears formed in the corners of them, threatening to spill down her soft cheeks.  
  
Sasuke felt himself rush to the edge and with one last thrust, he buried himself deep and threw his head back with a moan, her name flowing out of him in worship.  
  
As his seed hit her throat, she came along with him. He forced himself to look back as her orgasm wracked through her, all the while greedily swallowing everything he offered her. _ Fuck, she’s perfect. _ _  
_ _  
_ Sakura’s eyes were unfocused and the world around her a blur as Sasuke pulled out of her. She couldn’t believe how rough he had been and how much she had absolutely _ loved _ it. Her orgasm had been intense and as she finally came down she realized she had failed to swallow all of him, as it dripped out of her mouth and onto her breasts. He had let go of her hair and was watching her, the sound of nothing but their loud panting and the murmur of the tv filling the room. She reached up to what had spilled around her mouth with her fingers, wiping it off of her before bringing them to her lips to taste him more thoroughly. His jaw clenched at the sight, and she smiled up at him lazily, fully satiated and satisfied. His taste was earthy, a slight sweetness to it that had her humming in pleasure.  
  
“You’re definitely trying to kill me” he panted out as he tried to still his breathing back to normal. Sakura giggled at that as she stood to go grab a towel from her adjoining bathroom. He grabbed her wrist before she could, and pulled her back so that he could kiss her. She blushed as his tongue tasted her, and what was left of him. Their kiss broke quickly, both of them still reeling from their coupling. She gave him a weak smile that he surprisingly returned. It reminded him of how peaceful he had been the morning she awoke after Ino’s party.  
  
“I’m gonna get a towel for us” she said, voice a hoarse whisper from the beating he had given her throat. Sasuke offered her a sympathetic look at the sound, and Sakura just shook her head before rising up to lay a chaste kiss on his lips. She had loved it, and she knew he had too so she didn’t want him to worry or regret it.  
  
As she got to the entrance of her bathroom, a thought hit her. Glancing to the analog clock on her bathroom wall, she read _ 2:22 am. _ Deciding to voice her idea she turned to face him, seeing that he was still looking at her. “Wanna take a shower?”

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't worry, I don't plan on this becoming some 50 Shades of Grey story, I promise lol
> 
> Let me know what y'all think, and if you have any suggestions don't hesitate to let me know :)


	5. Realization

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided not to go for a time skip this chapter and instead continue on from where the last one left off. I'm finally starting the main plot of this story, and it does contain graphic violence, so please be aware of that. This story is evolving from just romance themes to including mystery so I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Smut at the beginning instead of the end this time too!!

* * *

_  
  
  
  
“Wanna take a shower?” _  
  
~~~  
  
Sasuke didn’t even bother to answer Sakura’s question, choosing the action of simply walking towards her as his answer. She immediately smiled before flicking on the light and walking over to turn her shower on. Sasuke took the moment to run his hand through his hair as he let himself bask in the curves of her body. She was slightly bent over the tub, hand in the spray of water that tumbled from the silver shower head. Her long coral hair was tangled, flowing beautifully down her back in waves before stopping just above her round ass. His eyes snapped back to hers when she finally entered the shower and he took that as his queue to join as well.  
  
Sakura smiled as her lover joined her, and the atmosphere that had surrounded their rough lovemaking earlier, was now replaced by something much softer. He was so much taller than her and in their current position, the water that beat across her back and over only managed to wet his chest downwards. He didn’t seem to mind though as their bodies molded together naturally. He gazed down at her with a stoic expression and for the first time, she didn’t wonder what he was thinking about.  
  
Sakura use to think he was completely expressionless, but after getting to know his body and face better, she realized that she’d just needed to look closer. She could see the soft adoration that flickered in his onyx orbs as he looked down at her, and it made her heart swell. She sighed happily at the sight, hoping that he could see the same in her eyes too.  
  
The way the water flowed over his pale skin, dripping deliciously between the lines and dips of his muscles was nothing short of amazing. She ran her slender fingers across his chest to softly trace his muscles and Sasuke reached out for her hair. He slowly smoothed his hands from the front of her scalp to the back, tipping her head back into the stream of water. He worked his hands downwards, gently running his fingers through the length of it to make sure all of her hair had been properly drenched.  
  
Her hands stilled as she watched him focus on her hair, and she suddenly remembered he had told her it was annoyingly bright the first time she met him. A quiet giggle fell from her mouth and Sasuke looked back to her, his hands moving to cup the nape of her neck. He raised an eyebrow in question and Sakura laughed a little louder at the gesture. “I just remembered that you told me my hair was ‘annoyingly bright’.”  
  
She had closed her eyes and tried to do her best impression of him at the quote, scrunching up her face in fake annoyance and dropping her voice low. With no immediate response, she opened up one of her eyes to peak at him.  
  
The sight she found was almost too unreal. Heat began to gather in her at the sight of him _ actually _ smiling. A bright, honest, teeth and all smile. Her face instantly fell soft and her eyes widened with awe. A deep rumble in his chest vibrated underneath the hands she still had on him, and out came the most velvety and alluring laugh she’d _ ever _ heard. His laughter didn’t last long, but it had sent a shiver down her spine that pooled generously in her stomach. It wasn’t arousal though, she knew.  
  
A blush appeared on her cheeks as she recognized that it was something new entirely. Something warm and inviting that made her feel like she had come home after a long journey. It couldn’t be love she told herself hastily. She paused for a brief moment at the thought before reluctantly acknowledging that to be a lie. Sakura had loved men before, but she never remembered them making her feel like Sasuke did. They had only been intimate three times total, not including their current situation, but she had realized then that it felt like more. She felt like she had known him her entire life. Truthfully, the thought scared her.  
  
Sakura hadn’t wanted to fall for anyone the night of the Halloween party, but it was clear that something had happened deep within her as they had drunkenly fooled around. Perhaps it may have even happened the day they met, she speculated. It was as if a seed had been planted inside of her, and every small moment shared with him was the water and sunlight that it needed to grow.  
  
She swallowed thickly at the realization that maybe she was falling in love with Sasuke Uchiha.  
  
A hand on her cheek and the warmth of his lips on hers brought her sharply back to reality, telling her that she had zoned out for who knows how long. There was no tongue, just lips moving against each other leisurely. He pulled away and reached above her for her cherry shampoo that sat on the shelf beneath the shower head. “Where do you go when you zone out like that?” he questioned her as he opened the bottle and squeezed some into his palm. She pursed her lips, not wanting to actually think too much about it. He had noticed her zoning out multiple times then?  
  
Sasuke rubbed the shampoo between his hands a few times before telling her to turn. She did as she was told, facing the front of the shower. His hands made contact with her hair and she sighed with contentment as he began to massage the shampoo into her scalp. Her eyes fluttered shut at the sensation while inhaling the smell of her cherry shampoo. After a moment, her mouth turned down into a frown and she opened her eyes to glare a hole into the wall ahead of her. She was worried she might say something stupid, or _ worse _ , actually tell him how she really felt right now.  
  
Maybe she should lie? Make something up?  
  
“Sakura.” his voice was one of impatience and she softened. That seemed typical. She closed her eyes once more and took a deep breath, leaning back into his hands as they coated her hair with the suds of her shampoo. “I don’t know, sometimes I just… get lost in my thoughts,” she spoke hesitantly.  
  
Sasuke’s hands left her hair and moved to her shoulders, turning her back to face him. She opened her eyes to look at him as he dipped her head back to wash her hair out. He looked puzzled as he focused on washing her hair, and she felt bad that she didn’t have the words to accurately describe it to him. “I’m sorry,” she whispered up to him. His dark eyes snapped to hers quickly, but his hands never faltered as he continued to run them through her wet locks. “Why are you sorry?” he asked her, confusion now written on his face. Her eyes darted away to look at the back of the shower curtain behind him. “I just… I can’t give you the answer you want because I don’t even know how to describe it.”  
  
Sasuke finished washing her hair then, and while he took the time to think of what to say, he was also trying to pick a body wash to use from her shelf. The raven haired man was not a fan of sweet things, and it seemed that was all she owned. He almost frowned, but was conscious of the fact that Sakura was watching him once again and he didn’t want her to get the wrong impression. Her hand suddenly came into his line of vision as she grabbed the shampoo he had put back only moments ago. “Let me wash your hair first, then maybe I’ll let you wash my body.” He turned down to look at her and smirked at her smug face.  
  
They switched their positions so that Sasuke could be fully submerged in the water, and he tipped his head forward to wet his dark locks completely. “Lean your head back so I can reach” she giggled. He let out a soft grunt as he did what she asked of him. Her delicate fingers made contact with his hair and he hummed low in satisfaction as she started rubbing circles into his scalp.  
  
Sasuke inhaled the scent of her shampoo, and he thought about how content he was to smell like her. Her nails dug into his scalp with just the right amount of pressure and he felt himself harden at the sensation. He leaned his head back a little further into her touch. Soon however, the pleasure she had been giving him stopped and he sighed in disappointment.  
  
“You’re too tall.” she grumbled. He laughed quietly at that and the corner of his lips inched upwards into a smirk. “Maybe you’re just too short,” he quipped back, feeling warmth pool inside of him when she scoffed in return. He turned back around then, opting to wash the shampoo out himself.  
  
As he tilted his head back to wash, he took notice of the way her eyes immediately zeroed in on his semi-hard cock. He enjoyed the way she watched him, her eyes traveling leisurely from his member back up to his face. She blushed as soon as she realized he had been watching her, but instead of shying away, she moved closer.  
  
Sakura pressed her soft body against his, wrapping her arms around him to hold him close. In response, his hand moved on it’s own to hold her there, resting against the small of her back. He ran his hand back and forth through his raven locks a few more times while he looked down at her. She looked up at him adoringly as she nuzzled against him, and he brought the hand currently in his hair to hers. They stayed like that for a few minutes, both of them enjoying the intimate moment. Sasuke pet her head as he held her close, and he came to the realization that this felt _ too _ natural. He watched her close her eyes and his hold on her tightened when she let out a content sigh.  
  
It was then that Sakura Haruno made Sasuke blush for the first time in his adult life. He quickly looked up away from her as his eyes widened in shock, all the while never moving from their current position. The bathroom had long been blanketed in steam, and he tried to tell himself that maybe he had just been in the shower too long. But Sasuke was no idiot, and he knew the warmth that spread from the tips of his toes to the top of his head was because of the woman in his arms and not because of his lack of fresh air. He wanted to curse loudly, to release her and step away. Maybe even just leave.  
  
Sasuke had never felt this with anyone before, and the foreign feelings made him incredibly nervous. He had never loved a woman, but he imagined that this is what that felt like. Every woman before Sakura, as far back as he can remember, never elicited this kind of response from him. His heart beat wildly in his chest and quickly became aware that he hadn’t even bothered to hide his shock or emotions. In silent panic he looked back to her to find her with her eyes still closed against him. However, he didn’t relax at the sight. In fact, looking back at her just made things worse.  
  
Fuck. He didn’t need this to happen. He didn’t need some annoying, ill-tempered, workaholic… beautiful woman in his life. But he wanted her, he wanted her more than anything. He had felt this briefly when he had looked at her earlier in the night at the bar, but he had told himself it was just lust. So far they’ve spent the majority of their time together fucking. They still barely knew each other, so how was he falling so quickly?  
  
Sasuke clenched his jaw tightly and all his thoughts were thrown out the window as he felt her move against him. He cleared his throat before willing his face back to normal, lest she question him about where _ he _ had gone just now.  
  
Sakura pulled away from him to grab the body wash behind him and the loofah that hung near it. Without speaking a word, she poured on a generous amount and began to wash his body. His arms dropped to his sides as he let her work and had to hold back a groan as she delicately washed him. She hummed quietly as she worked and Sasuke found himself thinking her cute. 

As soon as he knew he was adequately cleaned, he reached out and plucked the loofah out of her hand with ease.  
  
If she was surprised she didn’t show it as he leaned forward to take his turn. He inhaled the vanilla scent as his eyes selfishly devoured every curve. He could feel himself getting hard, but instead of the intense dominating lust he usually felt, there was something softer bubbling inside of him. He wanted to take his time to memorize every part of her, and he wanted to make her _ feel _ how captivated he was by her presence. He wanted her to _ know _.

  
Unable to wait any longer, Sasuke finished washing her and turned her quickly to take her mouth. 

Sakura sighed into his kiss eagerly, thinking about how of all the kisses they’d shared so far, this was the most passionate one yet. She had been taken off guard by how quickly the atmosphere had changed between them, but she embraced it nonetheless. His touch was softer than ever before as he ran his hands all over her body, pausing to squeeze her ass in an attempt to bring her closer. They parted for air as his hard cock pressed against her, and she took the moment to reach for him.  
  
The sound of the water against them roared loudly in her ears, drowning out everything but the beautiful man in front of her. She wrapped her hand around his cock tightly, and he let out a moan that had Sakura clenching her thighs together. She pumped him slowly, enjoying how smooth and hard he was in her grasp. Sakura smiled as he reached down to her, his hand ever so gently moving through her wet hair to lay at the nape of her neck.  
  
She continued her movements on him and relished in the sound of his soft pants when he leaned down to pepper kisses up and down her neck. He was being so incredibly tender, almost like she was a fragile doll he was scared to break. Except his touch wasn’t fearful, nor was he holding back either. His mouth and fingers sent her skin aflame, burning into her core and igniting something new within her. He licked her pulse point lazily, and she noticed that the bites he took were kinder. They lingered longer too, almost like he was committing her taste to memory.  
  
Sakura’s moans left her in little pants as he littered her neck with kisses and when he moved upwards to lick her ear, the wetness that pooled between her legs was almost too much for her. Her clit was throbbing now, and all she could think about was how badly she needed to be filled.  
  
Sasuke felt her rub her thighs together and the hand that wasn’t holding her head was suddenly between her folds. She inhaled sharply as he made contact with her. Her movements on his cock stuttered briefly and a mixture between a whine and a moan flowed out of her. His fingers spread her carefully, one finger darting out to run along the length of her slit. He swirled the digit along her entrance, and Sakura squirmed with pleasure. She leaned forward against his chest as her legs began to twitch when he entered her.  
  
Sasuke loved how wet she was for him, and he licked his lips wishing they weren’t in the shower so he could take her in his mouth. He took his time exploring her, pumping in and out of her slowly and enjoying the mewls spilling from her mouth. His cock was burning in her grasp as he thrust himself into her hand while she worked him. A particularly loud groan left his lips as she stopped to squeeze his head, swirling her thumb around his opening and then down to caress the sensitive spot at the base of his tip. He thrust another finger inside of her in response and finally began to tease her clit with slow circles. Her hands left him quickly as he changed his pace, and although the loss of contact was immediately missed, he smiled softly at the way she moved her hands to hold onto him for balance.  
  
Her legs were beginning to shake as he picked up his pace and the sight of her falling apart in his arms was almost too beautiful to comprehend. Her face had contorted into one of pleasure as she clung to him, brows furrowed and lips open as she concentrated on his touch. He groaned as he cock twitched with desire at the sound of her heady moans filling the room. Sasuke cursed inwardly and he knew he needed to be inside of her quickly.  
  
Removing his fingers, he bent down and hooked his hands around the back of her thighs before hoisting her up with ease. She wrapped her legs around him in response as he turned to push her back against the wall next to them.  
  
His hands gripped her ass, kneading it gently as he teased his cock along her wet folds. Grinding against her slowly, she tipped her head back against the wall as a soft whine spilled out of her.  
  
Sakura moved her hips in time with his, finding a rhythm that after a few short minutes, had them both panting with need. Sasuke bent down to take her mouth and with one quick thrust he was buried inside of her. She broke away from him and moaned loudly, willingly letting the feeling of him consume her. He was touching her so lovingly and she would let him take her where he wanted now.  
  
He stilled inside of her for a moment, not because she needed to adjust, but because he wanted to watch her. He waited for her to look at him, and when she did, it was then that he began to move. Soft moans and whimpers poured out of her as he drove into her, and never once did she break eye contact with him.  
  
Sasuke adored the vision before him. Her eyes were brimming with pleasure and her pink hair clung to her creamy skin, complementing the blush that had broken out across her face marvelously. He let out a strangled moan as he leaned down to taste her neck once more. “Fuck you’re beautiful,” he whispered into her skin, loving how soft it felt between his teeth. Her moans went up in pitch, and it only spurred him on. He nuzzled his face into her neck further and began to thrust himself into her harder.

As he rocked into her at an even pace, he pulled his face back once more and his mouth watered at the sight of her breasts bouncing lightly with each thrust. He leaned down and took one into his mouth, moaning low at the way her breathing hitched with his action. He expertly swirled has tongue around her sensitive peak, suckling and nibbling.  
  
Sakura tightened her grip in his hair as he toyed with her nipples, moving from one to the other. She met his hard thrusts in tandem now, and throwing all restraint into the wind she let her noises burst from her wildly. His moans hit her skin in hot puffs where he had buried his head against her neck again, and as he pulled back to ram into even harder than before, her moans became screams.  
  
At the sound of his name flowing out of her in a high pitched moan, Sasuke groaned deeply and made sure to keep the pace that produced it. He desperately wanted to keep hearing her sweet voice scream for him over and over. His name was flowing from her lips repeatedly now as he battered into her with all the brute force he could muster. The sound was a deliciously sinful mantra that burned through his veins quickly, pooling in his lower abdomen. 

He was losing himself in her arms, her walls were tight and slick, gripping him with his every thrust. He knew she was close, and as he felt himself on the cusp of orgasm, he reached between them to pinch her clit, rolling his thumb over and around the swollen nub. She snapped quickly, the sounds of her strangled moans echoing loudly off the walls of the bathroom.  
  
They both fell into pleasure rapidly, moaning each others names as the best orgasm that either of them had ever had rushed through them like wildfire. Sasuke felt his thrusts slow and as she clenched around him tighter than ever, he let out a string of foul curses against her skin. The beating of his heart was impossibly fast and his blood roared in his ears, drowning out the sound of the water pouring down upon them. She milked him dry and he clenched his teeth at the feeling of him emptying himself inside of her warmth. Sasuke felt her shaking in his arms, her own orgasm continuing to rage through her. 

As he felt himself come down from the peak of his pleasure, the sounds of them came creeping back into focus. Sasuke had collapsed his weight against her and he knew his grip on her was sure to leave bruises from how tight her held her. The water was still warm, and the steam around them had become thick as they panted loudly, trying to catch their breath.  
  
Sakura shakily brought her hands away from his hair, and the movement finally broke the moment that they had fallen into. Sasuke grunted as he pulled out of her and she had to reach out to him to keep herself standing. She dropped her hand from him and leaned back against the wall. Her eyes closed as she concentrated on getting her breathing back to normal. The steam from their shower was absolutely unbearable now, she realized, and she really just wanted to collapse in bed. Sakura literally couldn’t think- couldn’t comprehend the level of pleasure he had thrown her into.  
  
She heard the squeaking of pipes and the hot water pelting against her ceased. Her eyelids were heavy with exhaustion, and she struggled to open them to look at Sasuke. He had gotten out of the shower and she watched him lazily as he grabbed two fluffy towels from the shelf above her toilet. Setting one down on the counter, he walked back towards the shower.  
  
The world around her felt fuzzy and dreamlike as Sasuke reached for her, pulling her out onto the floor carefully. He held onto her for a moment, making sure she was able to stand before taking her hair into the towel to dry it. He worked methodically, his breathing slowly but surely settling down. After he had deemed her sufficiently dry, Sakura felt his hands wrap the towel tightly around her body before securing it in place.  
  
She collapsed onto the lid of her toilet and gathered her hair together before neatly throwing the bulk of it over one of her shoulders. She watched Sasuke dry himself off with the other towel, and when he looked at her she offered him an exhausted smile. A few moments went by with her watching him and she took a deep breath as she finally felt like a person again and not a pile of jelly.  
  
“That was…” she trailed off trying to think of the right word. Sasuke chuckled softly. “I don’t think there’s a word for whatever _ that _ was” he mumbled as he finished drying. She giggled breathlessly before standing slowly to gather their towels and throw them into the hamper next to her sink.  
  
He opened the bathroom door and the amount of steam that burst forth was comical enough to have them both laughing and their lungs jumping for joy as they inhaled the cooler air of her bedroom. Sakura grinned and rushed passed him to jump onto her bed, and he scoffed at her childish antics. She pulled the blankets back and began to throw extra pillows onto the floor in preparation for sleep. Sasuke unhurriedly made his way onto the bed, sliding in next to her and taking her in his arms. They laid there quietly for a few minutes, and Sasuke felt sleep starting to tug at his eyes.  
  
“We should hangout more,” she suddenly voiced. Sasuke wanted to laugh at the casualness of her statement, but all he could do was grunt in agreement, too tired to manage anything else. He wanted nothing more than to spend more time with her. For the first time in his life, he wanted to spend every waking moment with someone and it filled him with a feeling he couldn’t describe. She hummed into his skin and he pulled her tighter. Minutes later, Sasuke fell into sleep blissfully with the smell of cherry and vanilla surrounding him, Sakura joining him not long after.  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
Pink locks peaked out from the blanket that Sakura was currently under, and as she shifted around she realized she felt like a bruised potato. She huffed as she felt the repercussions from last night, a slight ache on her hips and in her core. She had woken up to the sounds of the birds outside of her window 20 minutes ago, yet she refused to open her eyes in an attempt to fall back asleep. Feeling Sasuke shift beside her though, she finally decided that she wasn’t going to be able to fall asleep again.  
  
Opening her eyes, she squinted at the sunlight that filtered through her blinds before adjusting to the look around room. She yawned sleepily, and finally decided to turn around to see if Sasuke had woken up too. She turned towards him, careful not to shift the bed too much and was happy to see him still peacefully sleeping. Sakura briefly wondered if he was always the last to wake up. Everyone has a friend like that, her’s is Naruto. She frowned at the thought. Well they are best friends after all.  
  
She wished he would wake up, but they had fallen asleep quite early into the morning and she didn’t want him to lack sleep. Sakura was just an early riser no matter how hard she tried to sleep in. The pair had parted during the night, and it seemed like she had hogged most of the blankets as she found herself significantly more covered than he. She flushed in embarrassment before hesitantly shifting to throw the blankets over him. He was still out cold even after her moving around him.  
  
She pursed her lips and in a spur of the moment decision, she decided she wanted to make breakfast. Sakura finally had Sasuke all to herself, and she really hoped he didn’t have any plans today. Silently slipping off the bed, she padded across the carpet towards her closet. She fished out an old baggy t-shirt and threw it haphazardly over her frame before quietly slipping out to head downstairs.  
  
She had decided on coffee instead of tea this morning, and quickly threw some grounds into the pot before pressing start. As the smell filled the room, she went to check out the contents of her fridge. Scanning the shelves, she realized that she didn’t even know what Sasuke liked to eat. She scoffed at herself. They really needed to play 20 questions or something at some point, she mused.  
  
She settled on plain eggs and toast, praying silently that he would be fine with that. She had a suspicion that he didn’t like sweets from the way he had reacted to the tea from last night and the body washes in her shower. But then again, she could just be reading him wrong. Either way, best to play it safe.  


As she was cooking, Sakura absentmindedly drifted off into her thoughts. Last night had been wonderful, and even though she was paying for it this morning with soreness, she craved his touch again. It seemed that she was quickly becoming addicted. Their chemistry in bed together was electrifyingly perfect, and she thought that it translated well into their normal interactions too. He did piss her off sometimes, but she knew he just liked to tease her. And honestly… it was pretty easy for anyone to press her buttons, not just Sasuke.  
  
Her hands stilled momentarily as the thought of their shower came into her mind. She blushed and returned to the task at hand, making sure the eggs weren’t burning. The shower had been… well Sasuke had been right, she didn’t think there was a word to describe it. If she had to though, it had felt like… making love? She had poured her budding feelings into her touch and she thought for sure she had felt something similar from him. Well, she hoped that’s what she had felt. Even though towards the end it had become desperate and rough, she felt very loved by the way he had touched her.  
  
She couldn’t deny any longer how she was beginning to feel about him. Sakura would, however, not attempt to act _ too _ strongly on those feelings just yet. She felt like a giddy teenager falling in love, but she wasn’t a teenager anymore. She was a 25 year old adult and she knew better. There was still the slight possibility that it was just physical attraction, and she knew that. It’s easy to fall for someone who is good in bed, but what happens if you realize your personalities don’t fit well together? Good sex can’t sustain anything worth keeping long term, she thought.  
  
Suddenly Sakura felt like she had been ripped out of her skin, a shriek falling from her lips as strong arms wrapped around her waist. She had come _ very _ close to elbowing him in the face in his effort to surprise her. “God, Sasuke don’t do that! I almost hit you,” she spat out in frustration as she turned the stove off. He buried his face in her neck and she felt him inhale her scent, before a soft laugh left him. “You would have missed anyways.” he whispered into her ear, sending a shiver down her spine. Sakura’s eyebrow twitched as she quickly became annoyed with him. “It’s not funny Sasuke,” she pouted as she left his arms to plated their food. She removed two empty mugs from her cupboard and turned to hand him one. He took it from her and walked over to her coffee pot to fill it, and as he left her immediate proximity, she realized he was dressed in only his black boxers. She could get used to that.  
  
“I hope you’re okay with eggs and toast. I realized as I was looking through my fridge that I didn’t know what you like to eat for breakfast,” she said as she set his plate down on the table. He had turned by that point, taking a long sip of his coffee and looking at her with narrowed eyes. She got up and walked towards him to get a cup for herself, but he quickly snatched the mug from her before she could even make it halfway there. “Sit and eat,” he said and she looked at him incredulously in return. He stared her down, and she suddenly felt hot under his gaze. Scoffing she turned back to the table and sat down with a pout.  
  
Sasuke poured her a cup as she started to eat, she wondered why he felt like he needed to dote on her like this. She wasn’t a child. Sakura’s pout grew grumpier, falling into her thoughts as she finished off a piece of toast. Her mug being set in front of her brought her back, and he easily slid into the chair across from her. He paused for a moment before picking up his silverware. “Eggs are good, I just don’t like sweet things.” Sakura smacked a hand down on the table with a loud bang, “I knew it!” She giggled at his surprised face, her sudden outburst not expected. “What?” he deadpanned before taking a bite of his eggs. She shrugged and took a sip of her coffee. “I knew you didn’t like sweets.” she responded. Sasuke narrowed his eyes at her while he chewed. “How?” he said after swallowing.  
  
Sakura thought for a moment about how to word it, taking a few bites of her food. “When you drank the tea I gave you last night, you made a face. Same thing when you went to pick out a body wash.” she said matter of factly. He scoffed openly at her words before taking more bites of his food. “A face, huh?” he replied in a seemingly bored tone, but she heard the amusement underneath it. She smiled slyly at him. “Mhm.” she nodded, “You’re not as slick as you think you are Sasuke.”  
  
He rolled his eyes at her as he finished his meal, pushing his plate forward and taking a sip of his coffee. “I’m sure others would disagree with you on that,” he spoke assuredly. It was Sakura’s turn to roll her eyes now. She pointed her fork at him, “Maybe I’m just better at reading you than anyone else is.”  
  
He looked into her eyes then with an incredibly heated look that felt like it might burn a hole through her. She pursed her lips and kept eye contact, not wanting to look away from him. She might like it in the bedroom, but out here she was not submissive and she refused to let him win at whatever game he was attempting to play right now. Her body betrayed her though, and unwillingly her cheeks broke out into a blush. God dammit.  
  
He smirked at her before getting up and taking both of their empty plates to the sink. He cleared his throat as he walked back to the table to sit down again. “Maybe you are.” he said and honestly, Sakura hadn’t expected that.  
  
They both looked at each other then, silently looking for… something in each other’s eyes. Sasuke seemed to have found what he was looking for before her, as he leaned back in his chair and smiled softly at her. She blushed again and this time she actually had to look away from him. Her heart had lurched out of her chest at his soft expression and she felt like burying her face in her hands, embarrassed at how flustered she was feeling.  
  
A loud ring tore through the silence and she jumped at the sound of her phone going off in her purse. For a moment, she thought about ignoring it. Maybe it was Ino calling to yell at her about last night. With a sigh Sakura got up to go grab her purse off the counter, feeling Sasuke’s eyes on her as she walked away from the table. He was definitely checking her out, and she smirked wickedly at the show she knew he was receiving. She hadn’t bothered to put any panties on, the bottom of he cheeks showing slightly as the edge of the t-shirt was just long enough to cover everything important.  
  
Finally finding her phone, she frowned to see that it was actually an unknown caller. She ignored the call quickly, tossing it back into her purse with a huff. She turned to find Sasuke eyeing her, his chin in his hand and amusement in his eyes. “What’s that look for?” she said immediately. He shrugged, “I like that shirt on you.”  
  
Sakura laughed softly at his admission, and she shook her head. “Why thank you, I spent a lot of time on this outfit this morning and I thought maybe you wouldn’t notice” she pouted sarcastically. “Very funny.” he said rolling his eyes with a smile lingering on his face.  
  
“Do you have plans today?” she questioned him suddenly. She leaned back against the countertop as she watched his gaze drop to the table in thought. His dark eyes looked back to her after a moment and he smirked at her. “Technically, no. I have to grade papers and finish some research I started, but I can always do that later.” he replied to her in an even tone.  
  
Sakura grinned, thanking the gods for finally giving them the opportunity to hangout. “Well…” she began, “would you maybe wanna hangout with me this afternoon then?” she couldn’t hide the excitement in her voice, and Sasuke smirked in return.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
“Sasuke stop! You’re cheating!” Sakura shrieked next to him. “Tch, I’m not you just suck,” he threw back at her. She pouted as he sent her character flying off the stage and exploding into a burst of light.  
  
Sakura apparently had more than a PS4, and after they had spent a while longer in the kitchen talking, somehow their quiet conversation had devolved into a heated argument about Super Smash Bros characters. Which of course led the woman to properly- and loudly- challenging him to a game.  
  
Sasuke wasn’t even that good at this game. He would never admit it to anyone _ ever _ , but Naruto usually beat him when they played together. So he wouldn’t lie that it felt good to win against Sakura. “Ugh, okay I’m over it,” she tossed the controller onto the bed in front of her and crossed her arms over her chest, face red with frustration. Sasuke smirked at her and reached out to grab her around the waist, throwing her underneathing him in one swift motion. She guffawed at his sudden action, devolving into high pitched squeals when Sasuke reached between them to tickle her smooth stomach.  
  
“Don’t be a sore loser,” he scolded her with a mischievous tone. She burst into incoherent giggles, squirming to get away from his touch, and the wide grin that appeared on his face as a result had him questioning himself again. In fact, it seemed liked most of their time spent together had him acting out of character. To cover up his reaction, he immediately leaned forward to kiss her. He had stopped his hands on her at the contact, and she instantly wrapped around him, hands moving quickly to play with the hair at the nape of his neck. He groaned lowly into her mouth as they parted in tandem, softly caressing each others tongues.  
  
He was slightly surprised when she pulled away from their kiss, but he also loved the view that the action gave him of her soft face. He didn’t think he’d ever get tired of seeing her like this. The silky pink hair splayed across her pillow and the tenderness she held for him in her eyes made his heart beat rapidly. He smiled weakly at her as he became drunk on her image.  
  
She blushed up at him and licked her lips before speaking, “I… I’m actually quite sore today so maybe we could…” she trailed off. Sasuke’s mind blanked briefly. _ Oh _ .  
  
He immediately berated himself for not noticing, especially because he knew it was his fault. Sasuke had been rough with her last night, maybe more rough than he had meant to be. What had started as gentle love making in the shower had devolved into frenzied, powerful thrusts. His cock twitched slightly at the memory and in response Sasuke fell off of her onto the pillows beside her, bouncing slightly as he made contact with the mattress. He sighed then, rubbing his hand roughly over his face.  
  
After a few seconds of silence, he finally turned his head away from the ceiling to look at her. “I didn’t realize,” he spoke softly and the face that she made when she turned on her side to face him fully, told him he didn’t need to be sorry. She fixed him a particularly lustful look, and let out a giggle. “What? Don’t be sorry, it was amazing. I just… I need a little break, that’s all.” she was quiet now, her voice barely above a whisper.  
  
Her face was a mixture of worry and adoration, and Sasuke sighed again in response. He turned on his side towards her now, mirroring her posture and bringing his arm underneath the pillow in an attempt to get more comfortable. “What’s your favorite food?” he questioned. The blush that had gathered on her cheeks paled and she widened her eyes in mild surprise. He assumed she hadn’t expected that of him, and honestly, he hadn’t expected that of himself either.  
  
Sakura recovered quite quickly and her face turned into one of contemplation. He watched her mind think over his question, and it reminded him of the way she zoned out sometimes. As she was now though, her face held emotion and her eyes shone brightly as thoughts flitted through them.  
  
“Maybe dumplings,” she spoke suddenly, drawing him from his musings and back to her face. “Why?” Sasuke asked her. A goofy grin splayed across her lips and she shrugged slightly, the surface of the bed preventing her from any strong movement. “I don’t know, they just taste good,” she said matter of factly.  
  
Sasuke let out a soft ‘tch’ and smirked at her knowingly. “What about yours?” she questioned back. He didn’t need to take the time to think like she had, his answer immediately on the tip of his tongue. “Tomatoes.” he said firmly, and Sakura raised an eyebrow in disbelief. “Tomatoes?” she murmured back and Sasuke closed his eyes nodding in confirmation. He supposed he _ could _ clarify further for her. “I eat them raw but, tomato based foods are acceptable options as well.” She giggled at his response, a puff of her hot breath hitting his face in the process. “Okay, I’ll have to remember that.” she declared.  
  
Both of them laid in a comfortable silence for a while before Sasuke became aware that they had moved closer to each other during their discussion. Watching her now, he reached out towards her face to take some of her long pink locks between his fingers. He had wondered about the color since the moment he had laid eyes on it, and he took the time now to admire it. It was mostly a soft pink bubblegum color, but he noticed upon closer inspection that she had darker tones of pink mixed in as well. At first, Sasuke had assumed her hair color had been fake, but after seeing her naked he knew that wasn’t the case.  
  
Sakura was watching him silently he noticed, and as if she had been reading his mind she started to answer the questions he had been pondering. “It comes from my great-great-grandmother,” she said quietly. He flicked his eyes back to hers, willing her to say more. “Neither of my parents had pink hair, so it was a surprise to them when I was born with the color,” she licked her lips, “My dad found old an old diary that belonged to her husband when I was around 4, and in it he talked _ endlessly _ about the beautiful pastel pink color of his wife’s hair,” she wistfully smiled as she spoke and weirdly, Sasuke felt like he could understand why her great-great-grandfather would do something like that. Sakura sighed, her smile faltering slightly, “I got everything else from my mother though.”  
  
She didn’t speak again after that and he watched her face intently when she closed her eyes. “Do you have any family left?” he asked. Sakura shook her head, “No, it was just my parents and I,” she said while opening her eyes to look at him. He suddenly felt a strong urge to protect her, not wanting anything to ever take her away from him. He paused to consider the unfamiliar feeling, before deciding that he was okay with it. For the first time, Sasuke didn’t want to hold anything back from anyone. The knowledge made him nervous, but her presence comforted him.  
  
“I have a brother… his name is Itachi.” he spoke softly.  
  
Sasuke watched her face light up, erasing the one of melancholy that laid before it. “Was he the one who raised you?” she asked him, albeit a little hesitantly. Sasuke nodded his head, “He was only 16 at the time but because of his success and his profession, he was granted custody of me.” Sakura looked confused now, so he decided to continue. “Itachi graduated college at 16. He works for the FBI now.” Her eyebrows rose in surprise, before a cheeky grin broke out. “Okay but that’s actually so cool… does he still work there?” He replied with a tired ‘hn’ as his answer.  
  
Her face hummed with excitement from the new knowledge about him and Sasuke felt that familiar warmth rise in his chest once again.

  
“So wait, you’re doing something with criminal justice too though, right?” she asked him expectantly. He hummed and gave her a smirk, “Yeah, something like that…” she scoffed at his teasing tone and she reached up to smack him playfully on the arm. He laughed at her reaction before deciding to actually tell her.  
  
“Yeah I just started my PhD in criminal justice.” he said with a yawn. He watched her raise an eyebrow in a bid for further information. “I’m more interested in doing research and teaching, however, I do occasionally help the local police with profiling.” he said smoothly.  
  
Sakura hummed softly as she mulled over the information. “I want to be a surgeon.” she spoke after a moment and he nodded his head to let her know he was still listening. Sasuke already knew she was in medical school, having seen her study materials. “What type of surgeon?” he asked her. “Thoracic.” He racked his brain for the definition of the term. He thought it was the chest and lungs, maybe?  
  
Sasuke sighed as felt his eyes getting tired, and he reached up to rub his face with a yawn. He really didn’t want to leave her bed but it was evening at this point, and he was afraid of falling asleep and never getting around to the work he needed to do. She smiled at him as he opened his eyes and she quickly leaned forward to place a soft kiss on his lips. “Time to go huh?”  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
After the pair decided he should probably head home, Sasuke used his phone to order an uber. He had almost forgotten that he had walked from the bar last night. While they waited, they chatted idly in her kitchen, and when Sakura’s phone went off for the 3rd time within a 5 minute period, she grumbled before reaching into her purse to grab it.  
  
Sakura found the object of her loathing, and when she unlocked her phone her mind really didn’t understand what she was seeing. “What the fuck?” she whispered, her face scrunching into one of extreme confusion. Sakura had 107 missed calls, all from an unknown number. Sasuke had perked up at her tone and walked over to see what she was so shocked about.  
  
He frowned as he looked at her screen with her, watching her scroll through her call list. They hadn’t left any voicemails, but they had been calling her non-stop all afternoon. Sakura frowned and just as she had locked her phone again, wanting nothing more than to put it down and ignore it, her screen lit up again.  
  
  
_ Unknown Caller _ _  
_ _ Number Blocked _ _  
_ _  
_  
Sakura turned her head to Sasuke with a concerned look. “Answer it,” he told her. She didn’t know if she wanted to listen to him, but then she thought about maybe it being an emergency from someone she knew.  
  
Sakura cleared her throat nervously, before sliding the call button and answering. Rather than a polite hello, however, she cut to the chase. “Who is this?” she said as the line connected. After no one replied, she looked back up to Sasuke who was standing there with a stoic look on his face watching her. Her brows creased in confusion when she heard someone breathe and move on the other end. “Hello?” she bit out, starting to get annoyed at this unknown caller. Whoever they are, they had seriously blown up her phone and now they weren’t even saying anything. After a few more moments, Sasuke shrugged at her, and she decided it was a lost cause. “I’m going to hang-up now, please don’t call this phone again.” she settled on an attempt at being polite, hoping that it would convince them to listen to her.  
  
Sakura’s face paled and she shivered when an exasperated laugh, dark and heavy, echoed through the line. Sasuke’s eyes immediately narrowed as he watched her body tense up beside him.  
  
“Why are you doing this to me, Sakura?” the man’s voice was rough, and it made Sakura feel like he was choking her with amount the raw anger that flowed through it. She didn’t know what to say. She found herself speechless as as her hands began to shake lightly.  
  
The distorted voice cackled at her silence and spoke again, “Tell the Uchiha I said hello for me.” and then the line was dead.  
  
Her head whipped to Sasuke’s face so quickly she thought she might get whiplash. His expression had changed into one of worry as he took in the pure panic written across her face. “What happened?” he asked her and Sakura swallowed thickly. “H-he… was so angry, ” she stuttered out, unable to contain her fear. She had never heard a voice like that in her entire life and she felt as if she might burst into tears. “What did he say?” his voice was more demanding now as reached out an arm to pull her closer. She took a few deep breaths, burying her face in his chest. Once she felt herself calm, she looked up to tell him.  
  
She told Sasuke the first part of what the man had said, but in a last minute decision, she had decided not to tell him the second part. He already looked so worried, and she didn’t want to make it worse.  
  
Sakura offered him a weak smile as his phone went off to tell him his ride was here. He looked annoyed as he shut his eyes and took a deep breath. “I think it was just a prank call, actually. I overreacted.” she whispered. He looked at her pointedly in return, and she knew he didn’t believe her. To be fair, she didn’t believe it either. The man had called her 107 times.  
  
With a sigh, Sasuke leaned down to kiss her and as he pulled her closer, she felt the tension in her body leave her. Maybe she actually was just overreacting? It wasn’t _ completely _ far-fetched for it to be a prank call. It could have been an attempt to just mess with her. Maybe it was Jiro’s doing, she mused. At this point, she wouldn’t put it past him with how he had acted at the party last month. And he had seen her at the bar with Sasuke too, so that could explain the Uchiha part. Yes, that had to be it. It was Jiro just messing with her.  
  
Sasuke pulled away from her slowly, before heading out of the kitchen and Sakura followed behind him.  
  
“It could have been someone trying to scare you. What they said didn’t mean much.” he told her as he began to put on his shoes. Sakura felt guilty, knowing she hadn’t told him they knew him. But… she was worried what his reaction might be to that. He pulled on his coat then, buttoning it up. “Make sure you keep your door locked though, just in case.”  
  
Sakura huffed as she smiled at his worry for her. She shouldn’t be so scared over this. Jiro wouldn’t actually do anything crazy. He definitely had issues, but she hadn’t dated him for just his looks. He had been sweet in the beginning and she liked to think that he was still that man deep inside of him _ somewhere _ .  
  
She felt herself forgetting about it by the minute. “Text me or something?” she said as he opened the door to leave. He looked back at her and her heart softened at how incredibly handsome he was. He simply smirked and leaned down to give her another quick kiss before turning to walk down the steps and across the yard to the car waiting for him.  
  
She rolled her eyes before shutting the door, making sure to lock it behind her.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
  
Gloved hands twirled a silver flip phone around and around on the dark table in front of them. From behind the hands, there came a muffled cry and the man with the black gloves turned to look at the girl he had brought home. She was a mess of tears and snot as she sobbed into the duct tape he had put over her mouth when she had ignored his threats to stay quiet. He grimaced at how pathetic she looked to him. She was no blossom, but she would do. The man stood, causing the woman to flinch on the floor and break into even more sobs. He wished she would just shut the fuck up.  
  
Quickly he threw the silver phone into the trash can by the desk, before lighting a match and tossing it in. He watched intently as the phone burst into flames, the gasoline he had put in earlier only spurring the flames on. Once he was sure the phone had melted properly, he turned back towards the woman on the floor. How the fuck was she _ still _ crying? He was starting to get angry with her, and he had to clench his fists together to stop himself from screaming. _ Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. _ He took in a deep breath, letting out a hoarse cough as he exhaled.  
  
The man then reached up to remove his hat and the old goblin mask he was wearing, shaking his platinum blonde hair out into it’s usual shag. The woman’s eyes widened as she gazed upon his face. His features were soft, yet angular in all the right places. He figured the woman must have been shocked that he wasn’t some filthy old man.  
  
Chuckling darkly at the mixture of fear and surprise on her face, he ran his amethyst eyes over the woman in a calculating way as he tried to decide if he wanted to try something new tonight. She tensed up at his expression and more tears flowed out of her.  
  
This was taking too long, he thought as he tossed his mask and hat onto the desk. He had wanted it done much earlier, but his plans had been thrown out the window when his blossom had refused to answer her phone. The thought of her being with that disgusting Uchiha burned through him like a loathing he had never known. He had decided to forgive her one night stand from that party her friend held, but now she was spending time alone with him. If the Uchiha had just stayed away from what was his, he wouldn’t have had to call her so many damn times. The man had never needed to make himself known before, perfectly content with staying in the shadows until the time was right. But just when he thought it was finally time to make a move on her, she had chosen that fucking prick. His face contorted in anger as he imagined the man with his hands all over her body, pink hair wrapped around his fingers.  
  
The thought had him suddenly flying into a rage as he picked up the chair sitting at the desk, throwing it against the wall with a loud bang. The woman was sobbing again at the dangerous switch in his behavior.  
  
He cursed loudly, pulling the desk drawer open hastily to find his knife. This needed to be done now, he couldn’t wait any longer.  
  
  
  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL I bet y'all really did think it was Jiro. Crazy blonde man is also an OC like Jiro, and you'll find out more about him as the story progresses. Things are gonna get crazy so buckle up, y'all.
> 
> Also, yay feelings! The both of them have finally realized that something is happening between them emotionally. They acted very much like a new couple in this chapter, and they finally got to know each other a little better~ 
> 
> Let me know if you liked the way this chapter was written as I felt it was mostly Sasuke's perspective this time. I also wanted to mention, that Sasuke talks more and is more open with Sakura because of the way he feels about her. He's still the brooding, dark man we all love, but now he has a soft spot for our pink haired sweetheart. ;)


	6. Mine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay an update! This chapter is all story and fluff
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

  
  
  
The files sprawled across Itachi’s desk were starting to bother him. He really didn’t like to keep an unorganized work space, however, tonight would have to be an exception. The files had been brought home in an effort to do more thinking on the newest case he had been given earlier in the day, one that had become the highest priority for the agency. A fifth female had been found in Frog’s Park late last night, and with the confirmation of almost identical wounds to the previous found, it had now officially became an investigation into a serial killer. Which is how Itachi had ended up on the case. Typically, he was only ever put on the big cases as his analytical mind was far superior than any other agent who currently worked with the FBI. This was no different.  
  
Konoha women were being targeted by someone, and as Itachi got to know the case more in depth, he realized that this someone knew _exactly_ what they were doing. Which he thought was quite interesting because in comparison to the intentional lack of evidence surrounding each murder, the kills themselves had been particularly brutal and messy. The photographs of the victims showed that all were stabbed multiple times, seemingly in random places and always with a type of angry brute force. The wounds were sloppy and chaotic, like the person who dealt the blows had become unhinged.  
  
All the victims had rope burns and marks to show they had been gagged, but the latest victim had something new. Multiple fractures, breaks, and brusies which showed that this time the killer had beaten their victim savagely before the actual murder took place. Itachi picked the photo up once more to examine the placement of bruises, and narrowed his eyes when a thought came to his mind. The long-haired man reached for the autopsy file that had been haphazardly thrown to the edge of his desk, quickly turning the pages to look for the answer he sought.   
  
  
  
**Examination of body: Multiple bruises along torso, limbs and face. 3 rib fractures and 4 breaks: jaw, collarbone, left radius, and left patella. Multiple stab wounds in locations....**  
  
  
  
Not what he needed. He turned the page.  
  
**  
****  
Coroner notes: Tests negative for sexual assault. No signs of forced intercourse and clean of bodily fluids. Body contained no other foriegn DNA, unclear if cleaned or...** **  
**  
  
He stopped reading. “Ah. This makes things a little more interesting,” he mumbled quietly to himself. The notes continued on for another page, but it contained information that he already knew so Itachi lazily tossed the file back onto the desk. As he poured himself a glass of whiskey, he mulled over what he had deducted so far. Clearly the killer knew how to clean a crime scene, in fact, it was almost too well done for them to be just any civilian. They were dealing with someone who has knowledge of what crime scenes consist of and the evidence that is typically left behind. So someone in law enforcement or the military was a strong possibility, though really, that didn’t narrow things down too much as Konoha was a big city with multiple police precincts and a large military base.  
  
The interesting information Itachi had been looking at a moment ago came to the forefront of his thoughts again. There were no signs of sexual assault, yet some of the bruses found seemed almost sexual in nature, placed close to the breasts and hips. That crossed off a few theories he had developed and it almost annoyed Itachi. This case was so far one of the more complicated he had worked in a while, mostly due to lack of evidence though. He really had his work cut out for him, and it was exciting. The thrill of a challenge had the man brimming with concealed excitement. This killer was smart and calculated, but Itachi knew it was only a matter of time before he slipped up. The Uchiha do not lose, and Itachi in particular had solved every case he had ever been given.  
  
Smirking at the thought, Itachi took a drink of his whiskey before deciding to begin an attempt to piece a profile together. He thought briefly about contacting his little brother for an opinion, however, he thought the situation did not call for outside help just yet. That would be a last resort as he knew the moment he let Sasuke onto this case, he would refuse to let it go and want to finish it through with Itachi.  
  
He smiled softly at the eagerness his little brother had always shown for his profession, even opting to follow in his footsteps. He had gone in a slightly different direction, opting to become a profiler and a professor instead, but Itachi was proud of him nonetheless.  
  
Dark eyes returned to the desk to stare at a photograph that caught his eye as he had been briefly lost in thought. He set his glass down and snatched it off of the file it was paperclipped to. It was a photo of the latest victim’s legs, and he was suddenly very interested in the black marks that dusted the soles of their feet. “What is that?” he whispered into the empty room. Itachi pulled the photo closer to examine it. It almost looked like… coal? Or perhaps sand? His eyes narrowed as he thought of the factory district out near the ore docks on the lake. He smirked and downed the last of his drink. Perhaps the killer hadn’t been as thorough as Itachi had initially assumed.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
It had been about two weeks since Sasuke had spent the night at her house, and Sakura couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at her lips every time he texted her. She was currently in a lecture, and even though she rarely ever let anything distract her, she found herself replying to him in class. The two of them had been texting every day since that night, talking about the most random things and the pink haired woman was happy to discover that they did in fact get along well. They had more in common than she initially assumed they would, especially when it came to the important things. Sakura didn’t mind all the small differences, as she liked that he was different from her, but she had always had a list of three ‘dealbreaker’ beliefs when it came to a relationship.  
  
Last night while she was laying in bed, he had called her simply just talk with her. It had warmed her heart. They had talked late into the night about surprisingly, her important things. She had noted how easily the conversation had flowed there as well. It hadn’t been forced and they both had really gotten into it. They shared the same political and philosophical beliefs, and neither of them were religious. Her top 3 things that she needed her lover to have in common with her. Sasuke had also really surprised her with his existentialist views, and the intellectual stimulation from the discussion had started to turn her on. So, naturally, they eventually ended up having phone sex. She smirked at the memory.  
  
The ‘buzz’ of her phone going off next to her notebook on the table caused her to pale and swiftly snatch it away. She instantly turned a shade of red as her professor’s gaze shifted to hers. The vibrations, though not incredibly loud, had echoed around the area of the room she was sitting in, even causing a few other students to glance her way briefly. Oops. The professor hadn’t stopped talking though, and for that she was grateful.  
  
After a few minutes of trying to play off the interruption, she unlocked her phone to check the notification. Sasuke had texted her back. She smiled into the screen as she read his reply.  
  
  
_ (12:13pm) Lol that’s a classic though, how can you hate it? _ _  
_ _  
_ _  
_ She scoffed inwardly at his response but her smile never faded. She typed her response quickly.  
  
  
( _ 12:15pm) I think I just watched it too many times as a kid, but I do like all the other ones! _ _  
_ _  
_  
They were talking about, of all things, Christmas movies. Sasuke had asked her about her plans for the holiday festival coming next month, which had then evolved into their current discussion. He had asked her what her favorite holiday movies are, and when he had replied with his, she mentioned that she hated one that was on his list. It was actually kind of an exaggeration though, she admitted. She just didn’t care for it.  
  
She grinned when he responded immediately, and she found herself blushing over the words on her screen.  
  
  
_ (12:15pm) Well, luckily you’re so beautiful because if it were anyone else you’d be disowned with an opinion like that. _ _  
_ _  
_ _  
_ She giggled silently at the cheesy line and bit her bottom lip as that warm feeling he was always giving her tore through her. Closing her eyes, she thought about how Sasuke was actually quite sweet. She had realized it the other day and ever since then, she could no longer feel the doubts inside of her about him. Of course, he was still very withdrawn and quiet around other people, but with her it was different. He talked to her easily and he complimented her every so often, which truthfully made her feel special. The Uchiha had a reputation about him at KSU now, and it seemed like every woman on campus knew about ‘the handsome and aloof doctoral candidate’ in the sociology department. Sakura had heard some women talking about him flirtatiously on her way to class today actually, and she had rolled her eyes as she heard them talk about their plans to approach him.  
  
Technically they weren’t officially exclusive, but it was very obvious in the way they had started to interact with each other that things had changed between them. They were flirting more, talking more, and making future plans to hang out together. She had accepted his invite to accompany him to the holiday festival and the thought had her brimming with pure happiness. Sakura was no longer denying she liked him, and was more than on board with the idea of becoming something more. However, even with Sasuke clearly showing interest as well, she didn’t know for sure if he wanted that. So for now, she’d wait until the right moment to have that conversation. Besides, she thought, if they did decide to make things official, then that meant their friends would finally know.  
  
Sakura shivered at the thought of Ino trying to meddle in her business. She’d been more persistent about it lately, even going as far as trying to set Sakura up on blind dates. The pinkette knew that Ino was doing it on purpose, trying to get her to crack and finally admit that she couldn’t go on a date with someone who wasn’t _ Sasuke. _ But Sakura had stayed strong, and so far nothing had been spilled to Konoha’s biggest gossip.  
  
Her green eyes drifted back to her professor now, as she tried to pay more attention to the lecture. Finals were coming up in a few weeks and she absolutely needed to get high scores in order to keep her spot as the #1 ranked medical student. Her academic rival, Tadaka, was almost tied with her and it was a constant struggle to stay ahead. She turned her phone to silent and tossed it into her purse on the floor. Sakura would have to text her Uchiha back after class.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Sasuke yawned as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his sore shoulder. He had gone a little too crazy in the gym this morning and was unfortunately paying for it now. The Uchiha was currently sitting at his desk at the front of the lecture hall, watching his students take their first surprise quiz. He didn’t like to be the professor who gave out pop quizzes, but he was annoyed that only a few of them had done the reading he had assigned. Dark eyes scanned the room to watch for cheating, and almost smirked at their troubled faces. Maybe he was a little too sadistic for his own good, they really didn’t deserve this stress. A lesson is a lesson though, he remarked. Hopefully next time they’ll do the work he assigns.  
  
Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he checked to see if Sakura had texted him back. She hadn’t and in response Sasuke frowned slightly. He deposited his phone back into his pocket, making sure to note the time so he didn’t keep his students late.  
  
Ever since spending the night at her house, Sasuke had been thinking about Sakura all the time. They had been talking a lot more and he had been thrilled to find that she was just as intelligent as she was beautiful. Granted, he had already known she was smart from the way she kept her study notes. Naruto had also talked her up after finding out they had slept together at the Halloween party, letting him know that she was the top student of her med school class and the most sought after residency candidate by hospitals around the country. He had seemingly ignored his friend in an effort to get him to drop the topic, which Naruto eventually did, but he had certainly paid attention to the information.  
  
Sasuke paused his thoughts as the first student done came to drop their quiz on his desk before leaving, and one by one they all started to finish. He cleared his throat and stood as the last student finished. Deciding to grade them later instead of now, he threw the quizzes into a folder and stashed it away into his dark blue messenger bag before throwing on his coat.  
  
His thoughts drifted back to Sakura again as Sasuke left the hall and began his walk across campus to his office. Ever since he realized what she was making him feel, he had stopped fighting the urges to be withdrawn from her. Though, he would admit it seemed that even before making that decision, the facade he so carefully maintained had already cracked under her care. Sasuke was starting to crave not just her body, but her company as well. He had enjoyed talking and spending time with her these past two weeks. Through their conversations he was starting to learn more about her. The pink haired woman was incredibly witty and her views and opinions about the world were of great intellect. Sasuke wanted to talk with her almost as much as he wanted to fuck her.  
  
This was new territory for him. Earlier he had asked her to the holiday festival, and the way he had smiled when she said yes, had him completely sure he was ready to actively pursue only her. The idea of having that discussion with her made him nervous though, so he thought maybe he’d give it another few days before _ officially _ asking her out.  
  
Sasuke stopped walking as he caught a flash of pink a few yards ahead of him, and then quickly sped up to catch up with her. She must have heard him coming closer, as right before he fell in step with her she stopped to look behind her. His heart clenched at the sight of her bright smile, loving the way her cheeks and nose were a slight rosy red color from the cold. They fell in-step together quickly, and Sasuke shoved his hands into his pockets as his pace slowed to match hers.  
  
“Where are you headed? I feel like I rarely see you on campus.” he asked her. She gave him a weak smile before speaking. “I know that’s actually kind of a bummer right?” Her voice was light and just the sound of it alone made him feel lighter in return. He smirked down at her in response and she chuckled before turning away to face ahead once more. “I was going to go to the library, but actually, if you’re free maybe we could spend some time together?” she questioned him. Sasuke mulled that over for a moment. He was honestly just heading to his office to do some work, and he was done with classes for the day as well. “Sure, I was just heading to my office to do work but it can wait awhile,” he replied, “did you have something in mind?”  
  
She shook her head in response. “Not anything in particular, I’m okay with whatever,” she shrugged. Ah, so she wanted him to pick. Sasuke pulled his phone out to check the time. It was 1:20 pm now, so still technically lunch time. “Do you wanna grab lunch?” he asked.  
  
“Yeah sure that sounds great! I haven’t eaten yet today either, so it works out,” she laughed then, her gloved hand coming up to cover her mouth. Sasuke smirked down at her before he started to list restaurant options.  
  
The two walked at a leisurely pace, ignorant to the cold and the people who buzzed around them as they talked quietly. Sakura had decided for them to go to her coffee shop as it was pretty close to campus, and often quiet at this time of that day. She had enthusiastically declared they both get something hot and caffeinated, as the day was cold and still far from over. Sasuke had chuckled in reply and it took everything in him not to lean down and kiss her. Green eyes had taken on a lustful sheen as he had thought about that, telling him that either she was thinking the same thing, or she had known what that look in his eyes had meant. It could be both, he mused.  
  
They arrived not long after, both sighing at the burst of warm air that embraced them. Quickly they had ordered their coffees and some light food before settling down at a table in the corner, near the fireplace. She cupped her hands on her paper cup and sighed again as it warmed her. “So how has your day been?” he found himself asking her.  
  
Sasuke couldn’t tell if she was blushing or if it was still the red tint the cold had left upon her face. “It’s been okay, I guess. Finals are soon and I’m slowly dying,” she grumbled, rolling her eyes before letting out a little laugh. Sasuke smirked knowing all too well the feelings she was hinting at in her tone. “What about you?” she questioned back. He took a sip of his coffee to think. “It’s been boring,” he drawled, “my class didn’t do a reading that I assigned so I gave them a pop quiz,” he gave her a sly smile that only grew when she scoffed in return. “You’re so cruel, those are the worst,” she pouted her lips at him, “but I totally get why you did it.”  
  
He nodded his head, and as he felt himself finally warming up, their food was brought to them. Sasuke had opted for a simple salad with extra tomatoes and chicken, while Sakura had ordered the chicken noodle soup. The pair ate together in silence, but it was a comfortable kind of silence.  
  
“Yooooo what the hell?!” came a voice from behind the counter, and the two looked up simultaneously towards it. Suddenly, Kiba’s head peeked up over the espresso machine to look at them. “Oh, hey love birds. Just started my shift and imagine my surprise when I find you two on a date,” he smiled mischievously, “Ino’s gonna love this.”  
  
Sasuke turned to see Sakura’s reaction, though he already knew what he’d find. “Kiba you idiot, we’re not on a date. And I swear to god, if you say anything to Ino I’ll break every bone in your body,” she spat out at him, tone dripping with annoyance. Sasuke smirked at her tone and decided to tease her a bit. “Wait… this isn’t a date?” he feigned ignorance and in response he was graced with the darkest blush he’d seen from her yet. Her mouth hung open in surprise as she stared at him in shock. Sasuke’s smirk grew and Kiba laughed wildly at the show.  
  
“Damn, Sakura you good?” he managed to say between his cackling. She recovered finally before turning back to Kiba. “Shut the fuck up,” she hissed, though her tone was less venemous and more embarressed. Ah, he had really gotten her good this time. Sasuke did consider this a date, though.  
  
Opting to throw her a life line instead of continue teasing her, he turned to Kiba to speak. “What were you yelling about before you noticed us?” he questioned. Sakura visibly relaxed at the change of topic and Sasuke couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit guilty. He just knew Kiba was onto them ever since that night at the bar, and the more the pair got to know each other, the less Sasuke cared about their friends knowing. Naruto would be a pain in the ass, but at least he’d be able to finally call Sakura his, and that might just be worth the headache.  
  
“Oh,” Kiba spoke, “they just announced that Konhoa has a serial killer on the loose,” he wiggled his eyebrows and grinned. Sasuke and Sakura both settled on a confused look at the announcement. Kiba rolled his eyes. “Apparently this guy has been killing for a bit, he’s gotten 5 different women so far. The police chief held a conference for the press today, saying that they’ve decided to go public with it because they’re hoping someone knows something.” he shrugged and Sakura turned back to Sasuke. “Did you know about this?” she asked him.  
  
No, actually he didn’t. But that’s not surprising. He was only called in when they needed him and even then he usually didn’t assist on classified high priority cases unless his brother asked him to. “No I didn’t,” he said turning back to take another sip of his coffee before continuing, “however, I bet Itachi is working it.”  
  
Kiba guffawed loudly at that. “Yo that’s sick, you know someone working this case? Can you get inside information?” he was grinning, and Sasuke thought he looked like such an idiot. “No, that’s classified information. And even if I did learn anything, do you really think I’d tell you of all people?” Sasuke threw back, his dark eyes narrowing into a glare.  
  
The brown haired man behind the counter pouted. “Well fine fuck you too then,” he wasn’t serious though as he smiled before turning to go back to work, probably deciding he didn’t want to tease Sasuke. With Kiba gone, he finally turned back to face his companion.  
  
He found she was staring at him with a look of apprehension and confusion. “Is this a date?” she whispered to him. Immediately Sasuke understood the look he was receiving. The Uchiha paused to decide on how to proceed, keeping eye contact with her as he took a sip of his coffee.  
  
He had almost forgotten about teasing her after receiving that news from Kiba. Should he just get this conversation over with? Earlier he had planned to wait awhile longer, but his impulsive joke had come back to bite him and it seemed his hand was forced. He did want this to be something more, even if it was a very informal, impromptu lunch date. He paused. Actually, fuck it. He wanted her to be his girlfriend now rather than later.  
  
“If you want it to be,” he said after a moment. She pursed her lips and looked away from him with a blush. “Do you want it to be?” she replied softly. Sasuke chuckled, causing her to look back at him. He smiled at her, “Yes, I do.”  
  
She gave him another gentle smile at his reply, and took a deep breath before tracing her finger along the edge of her coffee cup in what Sasuke knew was a nervous action. “So does this mean that we’re exclusively dating now? Like… you’re my boyfriend?” she spoke just above a whisper, her eyes following her finger and a blush dusting her pale cheeks. Sasuke sighed, looking over to Kiba and back to Sakura. They can’t take it back after this. They’re friends with all the same people, and it’s never fun when couples within a friend group end things. At the thought of the cons to their relationship though, Sasuke realized he actually didn’t care. He had finally found someone he felt things for, and he wanted to pursue it with everything he had.  
  
He reached out and stilled her hand, setting his large one over top of hers. She quickly looked up to him and he gently squeezed her. “I’d like that,” he whispered low, his voice husky with raw emotion. Sakura instantly broke out into an incredible smile that had Sasuke’s heart beating quickly. He cleared his throat out of nervousness and leaned back into his chair, retracting his hand in the process. Only this woman could do this to him, she was the only woman he would ever let see this side of him.  
  
“Besides,” he spoke suddenly, “the thought of you with other men just doesn’t sit well with me.” Her eyes widened slightly before she gave him a sly grin. “Oh is that so? Didn’t realize you were so possessive Mr. Uchiha.” Sasuke rolled his eyes at her as a smirk appeared on his face. He chuckled warmly, “Only when it comes to you,” he said and to his joy, once again she was blushing.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Sasuke had walked with her back to campus after lunch and the entire time she felt like she was having some sort of out-of-body experience. She couldn’t believe that Sasuke of all people would make a joke like he did, and even crazier, have that same joke be the reason they’re now official. It was completely unexpected, as she thought for sure they’d wait longer than this. However, their chemistry was strong in every way, so why not just do it and see where it goes? She bit her lip as she thought about it, careful not to trip on her way out the door of her house.  
  
It was later in the evening, and Sakura had texted Ino to meet her at Charlie’s because she had ‘good news’ to tell her. She had to commend her friend for her valiant efforts in pursuit of information, but Sakura had won. She was going to savor her victory with alcohol and finally tell Ino everything, but on _her_ terms.  
  
The pinkette smiled to herself as she rounded the corner, almost to the bar. In her excitement, she had decided to dress up a bit more than she usually did for Charlie’s. Her pink hair was down, soft curls throughout. She had put on winged eyeliner and her favorite pair of skinny jeans, pairing it with a low-cut black t-shirt that clung to her every curve. Sakura felt like she was on top of the world. She was _dating _Sasuke Uchiha. Her grin grew and she had to bite her lip to stop herself from squealing as the happiness that was bubbling inside of her threatened escape. Who would have thought that the man she had found so insufferable over a month ago, would become her boyfriend? Honestly, their whirlwind relationship made Sakura _almost_ want to believe in fate. There was no other explanation as to why she- or rather they- would fall for each other so quickly.  
  
Sakura made it to the bar just as a light dusting of snow had started to fall. December was a little over a week away, so it didn’t surprise her that it was finally snowing. Viridian eyes scanned the crowded room, looking for her friend. Spotting her in the corner, Sakura pushed through the bodies in the main area and plopped right into the seat across from her. Taking off her jacket, she finally burst.  
  
“Sasuke and I are dating,” she said breathily, a wild grin on her face. Ino squealed loudly, causing multiple people to look over to the pair in question. For once, Sakura actually joined her friend, too excited to hold back. “Oh my god,” Ino breathed, “see, I totally fucking knew it. Sai owes me 30 bucks!” she threw her hand down onto the table with a bang. “You bet on me?!” Sakura shrieked. Ino just dissolved into giggles and snorts, unable to say anything at the question. “Ino-pig!” Sakura hissed.  
  
Finally Ino calmed down, wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes and taking a large gulp of her wine. “I’m sorry forehead, it wasn’t meant to be mean,” she spoke with a sly grin and Sakura returned it with feigned annoyance, though her body betrayed her with a smile. Rolling her eyes Sakura stood up to go get something from the bar. “God it’s so busy tonight, why are there so many people?” she said as she stood. Ino shrugged, “Maybe it has something to do with people studying for finals?” That’s fair. She could understand wanting to drown stress in alcohol.  
  
“I’ll be back, I’m gonna go get something and then I’m gonna tell you everything!” Sakura smiled, her bright green eyes glittering with mirth. Ino simply raised her mostly full wine glass in salute, and Sakura set off through the crowd.  
  
With her being so small, she was struggling to make it through the crowd to the bar. Her only weapon was her pink hair, which usually caught people with enough surprise that they were easily pushed aside. Just as the bar came into view, someone shoved her from behind and she fell into someone at the bar, their heads bumping against each other upon contact. “Ow fuck,” she hissed as she grabbed her forehead, rubbing her palm against it to soothe the pain.  
  
A deep, raspy laugh came from in front of her and she finally realized she had bumped into a person. She quickly looked up to find a man staring at her from the bar stool he sat on.“Oh my god, I am so so sorry! Are you okay?” Sakura was panicking slightly as she looked over him for injury. He didn’t look too bothered, and in fact, was eyeing her with amusement. His amethyst eyes were full of emotion and Sakura inhaled sharply as his gaze pierced her.  
  
He was maybe one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen. To Sakura, no one was more handsome than Sasuke, but she knew a beautiful man when she saw one. His hair was a light platinum blonde color that had a shaggy yet effortless look to it, and his face was all angles. He was dressed in a black zip up hoodie that loosely hung on him, a gray v-neck underneath and it was paired with washed out jeans, that had a few holes in them. He grabbed his beer off of the counter to drink, and she noticed he had a few different rings on his fingers. She looked away from his fingers to his face as she realized she’d been staring, and the dangling silver chain earring in his left ear glittered in the low light of the bar.  
  
Wait a second. A memory hit her briefly, and she realized she knew him. “Do I know you? I feel like I’ve met you before?” she asked hesitantly, not knowing for sure if her memory was correct. He looked at her quizzically, and as he took in her hair color his eyes lit up again. “Didn’t you date Jiro? I think we briefly met once at a park,” his voice was deep and husky, and something about it was familiar. She thought back to when that might have been.  
  
“Oh wait I remember! We bumped into you by accident and he introduced us,” she said slowly as the memory came to her. It had been last spring, when her and Jiro had just started dating. She didn’t remember this blonde man’s name, but she knew he had gone to high school with Jiro. She frowned, “Sorry but… I actually don’t remember your name,” she said sheepishly. Sakura relaxed a bit when he didn’t get upset. He chuckled and took a sip of his beer again. “My name is Ryu, it’s very nice to meet you again…” he trailed off and she quickly caught on to the fact that he was waiting for her name. “Oh, sorry. I’m Sakura,” she smiled as she shook the hand he had outstretched towards her. Immediately she felt how rough and calloused his hands were, almost as if he lived a life of manual labor. It didn’t suit him at all.  
  
“If I remember correctly, after I answered a question of Jiro’s you quoted Nietzsche to me.” he smiled with his teeth this time, and she noticed his canines were just slightly sharper than normal, effectively turning his face into something a little more… unique. Yeah, she’d go with that as she felt herself blush. “Ugh I’m sorry, sometimes I can’t help but say dumb things,” she replied with a roll of her eyes. “No, no. You misunderstand me... I thought very highly of you afterwards,” his voice was lower now and the way he stressed the word highly, made her think he was trying to flirt with her now. She kinda wished that Sasuke was here now.  
  
Sakura laughed nervously as she finally turned and hopped into the seat beside him to order her drink. The bartender appeared quickly and she opted for a glass of merlot like Ino. She turned back to Ryu, “Oh, well.. Um,” she was at a loss for words. He laughed lightly at her and she suddenly felt very embarrassed. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out. But hey, while I have you here, I actually just moved back to this side of town and I’m looking for new friends. Know of any parties or whatever?” he asked her. Sakura thought for a moment, turning to pick up the glass that had just been set down in front of her. From what she remembered, he wasn’t friends with Jiro. In fact, when they had bumped into him it had been a game of catch up between the two. If he wasn’t close with Jiro, then maybe it’d be fine. He seemed like a nice guy.  
  
Taking a sip, she got up off the stool and pulled out her phone. “Here, give me your number. I’m sure my friend Ino will have something soon and I can let you know the details,” she spoke as she went to her contact list. She handed him the phone and he quickly entered in his details. She tapped on the message button and sent a simple ‘hey it’s sakura’ so he could save hers. “Oh by the way, are you and Jiro still together?” he said suddenly, pulling her attention away from her phone. She shoved it into her back pocket.  
  
“Nah, we broke up awhile ago. My boyfriend’s name is Sasuke,” Sakura told him happily. She watched his jaw tense up for a moment and if she hadn’t been looking at his eyes, she would have thought he was angry at that. But he looked at her with kindness, and so she took another drink as he continued to stare at her. “So uh, I’m gonna go... I’ve really kept my friend waiting,” she said as she began to inch her way backwards. Ryu smiled gently at her, “Alrighty, then. Catch ya later blossom,” he saluted her with his hand and sent her a wink.  
  
As Sakura made her way back to Ino, she didn’t see the angry glare of two amethyst eyes watching her walk away.  
  
  
  


* * *

  
Sasuke shivered slightly as he left the warmth of his car to head into Naruto’s apartment building. It had started to snow, and while Sasuke loved the way it looked, he hated everything else about it. It was shitty to drive in, the salt put down on the sidewalks ruined his shoes, and it was always just unforgivingly cold. He preferred the heat.  
  
Walking up the steps two at a time, he finally came to the door that belonged to his best friend. Sasuke knocked sharply, and listened for sounds of movement. There was a long enough period of silence that after a while, it had him wondering if Naruto had lied about being home. As soon as he had finished that thought, however, the door was opening. The blonde was dressed in his boxers, a pair of ugly orange ones with frogs and next to him was Hinata. Her hair and clothes were disheveled and her face was a light pink color, making Sasuke roll his eyes back into his head as far as they could go. Why the hell was he fucking his girfriend when he knew that he was coming over? Sasuke cleared his throat and Hinata let out a squeak before giving Naruto a peck and scurrying out the door and down the stairs.  
  
“Dobe, what the hell?” his eyebrow twitched and he felt the intense need to punch the smug face looking back at him. His friend just chuckled as he stepped aside to let him in, all the while never dropping the smug look. “Ne, you’re just jealous teme,” he snickered and this time Sasuke really did punch him. Naruto dodged it easily though and Sasuke just let out a ‘tch’ as he made his way to the living room. “Geeze don’t be so hostile I was _ joking _ ,” his friend whined.  
  
Sasuke let out a sigh as he collapsed onto the couch, while Naruto quickly found his jeans and threw them on. “So what’s up? Wanna play smash or something?” the blonde said before he collapsed onto the recliner chair. Sasuke instantly thought of his… girlfriend. Weird. But a good weird.  
  
“Nah I’m too tired,” he said as he closed his eyes and leaned his head back onto the couch. Naruto shrugged, “Whatever, man. You’re the one who asked me to hangout, remember.” Sasuke opened his eyes and looked to his friend. This could go one of two ways. Either Naruto would be extremely annoying, or he would be extremely mature about it. He was a wild card though, and often did what one least expected.  
  
“Sakura and I are dating,” he spoke seriously, just to make sure that Naruto knew he wasn’t joking. His friend didn’t even seem shocked at the news and instead looked at him intently. After a moment or two of silence, he broke into a bright grin. “Hey! I’m happy for you teme,” he said calmly, “for a while I thought for sure you’d be doomed to the life of a bachelor,” he snickered and Sasuke let out an amused ‘hn’. He wasn’t entirely wrong. Sasuke had thought love just wasn’t for him until he had met Sakura.  
  
“Why are you so calm about this? You flipped your shit when I told you we slept together at the party,” Sasuke questioned. Naruto smiled softly, “Dunno. Sakura’s been a close friend of mine for a long time and although you’re a total bastard,” Naruto smirked, “you’re the closest thing I have to a brother and I know you’ll treat her well.” he finished. Surprisingly mature for the world’s biggest idiot, the Uchiha thought. Sasuke brought his hand up to rub the tired out of his eyes. He yawned before speaking, “I have so much shit to do that I really want to ignore, so let’s just watch the game or something.” Naruto shrugged and turned on the tv before getting up to grab some beers.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
_(10:22pm) Hey are you busy right now?  
  
  
__  
__  
_Sasuke’s phone lit up with the message from Sakura, and he replied quickly.  
  
  
  
_(10:22pm) Nah i’m just at Naruto’s. Why?  
  
__  
__  
_He locked his phone and set his empty beer down on the coffee stand in front of him. “I’m gonna head out.” Naruto looked up from his phone, not moving from his place as Sasuke got ready to leave. “Alright. Oh hey, before you go. Lemme run an idea by you!” he half-yelled as the Uchiha walked by him to the door. With no answer from Sasuke, he simply just continued. “I’m gonna throw a party this upcoming week for finals, do you think Ino would let me use her house?” he questioned. Honestly Sasuke had no idea, he barely knew the other equally as loud blonde. But she did seem very enthusiastic about parties. The raven haired man shrugged his coat on before fishing his keys out. “Probably.” he replied in a bored tone. He heard Naruto laugh. “Of course you would give an answer like that,” he was being smug, “alright well i’m gonna reach out to her then. Have Sakura butter her up or something.”  
  
Sasuke rolled his eyes as he instantly felt himself get annoyed. “I am _not _having my girlfriend do you any shady favors,” he replied. Naruto laughed and Sasuke simply let out a ‘see ya’, before he was out the door and down the stairs.  
  
Sasuke had a feeling that Sakura was going to ask him to come somewhere, and as if on queue his phone vibrated in his pocket.  
  
  
  
_(10:13pm) I’m at Charlie’s, wanna come hang?  
  
__  
__  
_Sasuke got into his car and turned the heat on blast as he prepared to leave. He thought about not going to see her, as he did have work to do. But it was already late and he really didn’t feel like working into the early hours of the morning.  
  
  
  
_(10:20pm) Yeah I’ll be there in 15_  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
Sakura had texted Sasuke to come hangout because as of right now, their party of two seemed to be growing. Sai had showed up a little bit ago, and surprisingly, Ryo had walked over to the table to introduce himself to her friends. The flirtatious nature that Ryo shown earlier was gone, and Sakura had visibly relaxed. He was friendly and he seemed to be getting along well with Sai, as they had fallen into a passionate discussion about Japanese art.  
  
She had started to miss Sasuke and was happy to hear he’d be coming. “So the new guy is cute, huh?” Ino whispered into her ear with a wiggle of her eyebrows. Sakura rolled her eyes. “I mean, yeah but he has nothing on Sasuke,” she whispered back. Ino giggled at her response before handing her a shot she’d brought back from the bar. They cheered and quickly both of the girls were cringing as they took drinks from their wine to chase down the strong taste of the tequila. Both of them were a little drunk at this point, and they fell easily into a discussion about the new clothing shop opening near Konoha Bean.  
  
The pair didn’t know how much time had passed, but they were brought away from their girl talk as Sasuke pulled the chair out next to Sakura and sat down. She turned to face her boyfriend with a smirk when she saw he already had a glass of whiskey. “Why do you drink dark liquor, it’s so gross,” she fake groaned. He smirked back at her, “Shut up, I’ll pretend you didn’t say that,” he replied teasingly, closing his eyes as he took a sip. Sakura giggled before leaning over to give him a quick kiss on the cheek, “Thanks for coming,” she cooed. It felt _ good _ to finally be openly affectionate around her friends. Sasuke nodded at his girlfriend before turning to look at the blonde sitting across from him. “Naruto wants to have a party at your house, just a heads up,” he told her. Ino’s face twisted into annoyance, “Why?” she asked him. Sasuke shrugged seemingly bored with the discussion already, “Finals?”  
  
Ino laughed into her wine at his answer, looking towards green eyes in silent question. “Could be fun, pig,” Sakura replied. Her friend’s face scrunched up in thought before releasing a resolved sigh. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll think about it,” she said after a beat, waving off the topic.  
  
Sakura grinned and turned to look back at Sasuke, who she found was staring at something behind her. She raised an eyebrow, turning to see what he was looking at. Oh yeah, she thought. “Hey, Ryo,” she called in an attempt to pull him out of conversation with Sai. It took a moment but he soon took a sip of his vodka, and turned to face her questioningly. His eyes instantly traveled to the dark haired man behind her before snapping back to her. “What’s up?” he said.  
  
Sakura smiled, “This is my boyfriend Sasuke,” she told him, pointing her thumb back in his direction. Ryo’s face was blank and unreadable for a moment as he took a brief few seconds to scan her face, and then he was smiling back at her. “Ah, the new man in your life,” he looked at the Uchiha now and extended his hand for a shake. Sasuke reciprocated with a grunt before pulling his hand away to lay on Sakura’s thigh. Ino interjected suddenly with a smug look pointed towards Sasuke, “He’s an old acquaintance of Sakura’s apparently.”  
  
Sakura turned back to see Sasuke’s face looking just as bored as before, but she saw the annoyed look in his eyes. “Well, we’ve only met once before tonight, and he’s looking for new friends so I thought why not introduce him to ours?” she told her boyfriend. It seemed to placate him. Ryo suddenly laughing loudly next to her, drew the attention of the trio and Sai. Sakura shot him a confused look. “Oh, sorry, I just… I felt like maybe I caused something awkward for a moment,” he told her with a grin. She offered him a weak smile, “No, you’re fine. We all just need to get to know you a little better I think,” she said hesitantly. Ryo nodded his head in affirmation, taking another drink. “I would like that,” he said eagerly while looking at all four pairs of eyes.  
  
Ino laughed in response, successfully breaking the awkward atmosphere. “Don’t let refrigerator Sasuke get to you, he’s naturally an ass,” her voice had taken on a teasing tone. Sasuke scoffed loudly before sending the blonde woman a slightly exasperated expression. Sakura burst into giggles at the interaction and in response Sasuke quickly looked to her with a smirk, giving her thigh a tight squeeze. “What’s so funny, huh?” his voice was so deep and she could tell he was amused now. Sakura shrugged, quick little giggles escaping her mouth as she failed to hold in her laughter. “Ohhh nothing, Mr. Refrigerator,” she sung back to him, her green eyes sparkling playfully. His smirk grew more mischievous at her jest, as he leaned down to whisper in her ear.  
  
“That’s Master Refrigerator to you,” his hot breath tickled her ear and she felt him chuckle lightly. Sakura blushed before playfully slapping him on the arm. “How cheesy,” she grumbled, taking a sip of her drink to cover her flustered appearance. His smirk never left his face, sitting back to focus on everyone else again. “Oh, are the new love birds having a quarrel?” Sai said from down the table. She felt Ryo tense up beside her at his words and she sent him a confused look briefly, before putting her attention back on Sai. “Don’t make me spill stuff on you and Ino, I’m not above blackmail when I’m drunk,” she said pointedly with a devilish grin. Sai rolled his eyes, “You have nothing on me that Ino hasn’t already told the world,” he quipped back. Ino instantly pouted and whined out a ‘hey’ at his response. Ryo had relaxed at this point and he began to laugh, Sakura joining him.  
  
“Oh yeah well, what about last year when you both went camping and-” Sakura’s words were instantly cut off and muffled as Ino lurched across the table to slap a hand over her mouth. Luckily she had missed spilling her drink. “Shut it forehead!” Ino hissed out. Sakura rolled her eyes and Ino sat back down into her seat with a huff. Sai looked between the two girls lazily before he settled his gaze onto his girlfriend. “You told her that of all things?” he said apathetically. Ino blushed and crossed her arms in front of her body, “I was drunk…” she mumbled. Her boyfriend just sighed before letting out a light laugh, resigned to his fate.  
  
“Why do you call each other forehead and pig?” Ryo asked, effectively changing the topic. She felt Sasuke perk up a little bit, and she realized she’d never told him. “Oh. Ino and I have been friends since early elementary school and they’re just nicknames that have carried over into adulthood,” she said matter-of-factly. She didn’t really wanna explain it in depth, as it was more of a private inside joke for her and Ino. The blonde across from her nodded in agreement at Sakura’s words.  
  
“Huh, that’s kind of cool you’ve been friends for so long,” he said before setting down his empty glass on the table. He seemed interested in their relationship as friends, but he didn’t continue with his questions as he probably sensed her desire to be private. “Enough about us though, tell us about you. We don’t know anything about you yet,” Ino asked him with a coy smile.  
  
“Oh well..” he began nervously, trailing off to gather his thoughts. “I’m a forensic scientist,” he eventually said with a soft tone. Sakura raised her brows in surprise. “Really? That’s so cool!,” she said excitedly, “Sasuke is a doctoral student who studies criminology!” she turned to face her boyfriend and he looked at her stoically. “Maybe you guys have stuff you can talk about?” she questioned.  
  
The dark haired man shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. He lazily brought his eyes to look at Ryo. “Where do you work?” he asked him gruffly. Ryo pursed his lips and Sakura noticed him hesitate, “I do forensics for the FBI.” the blonde man replied.  
  
Sasuke smirked, “My brother is a detective with the local branch, maybe you’ve met him?” he asked. Ryo gave him a stern look in reply, “Probably not, I don’t leave the lab much when I’m there,” he said with a slight frown. The Uchiha rolled his eyes, turning away from the blonde man. “Interesting,” he mumbled into his drink.  
  
Sakura sighed. Men can be so weird. Suddenly Ryo stood, taking his empty glass along with him. “Alright well, I’m gonna head out. It’s getting late,” he spoke with a straight face, a weird change from his usual friendly demeanor. “Alright, well, I’ll let you know about the party next week. You can meet the rest of our friends then,” Sakura said to him, attempting to cheer him up. He was probably really tired. “Yeah... sounds good, see ya” he waved and walked off into the crowd, while all four people at the table watched him leave.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Sakura sat in his passenger seat, her hands hovering over the vents in an attempt to warm them. “Hey wanna go get food or something?” she asked him quietly. They were still sitting in the parking lot of the bar, having entered the cold car only moments ago. His eyes flicked to the dashboard which read 12:20am. He really hadn’t wanted to stay out this late, but he also really wanted to spend some more time alone with her. He struggled internally for a few moments, hovering between being responsible or irresponsible. She brought him out of his musings with a pout and a soft wine, “Pleeeease Sasuke,” she was looking at him with a puppy dog face.  
  
Why do women do that? He sighed as he looked into her green eyes, trying to will himself to say no. He literally couldn’t do it, and that’s when he remembered _ exactly _ why they make that face. “Fine,” he said reluctantly.  
  
She quickly smiled and burst into excited giggles. Sasuke rolled his eyes. His girlfriend had drank too much tonight, so thank god he had kept his drinks to a minimum. “Where do you wanna go?” he asked her. Sakura shrugged, “What about that 24 hour diner that’s down the road, I’ve never been there,” she replied. Sasuke really didn’t care either way, he wasn’t very hungry anyways.  
  
The two finally left the bar and drove to the little diner down the road called, Leaf’s Diner. Sakura had tried to throw a snowball at him after getting out of the car, but he had quickly grabbed her drunkenly sluggish body and hoisted her up over his shoulder. She was squealing and laughing as she breathily begged him to put her down. Sasuke laughed in response as he walked across the parking lot with her squirming in his arms. “Sasuke, seriously put me down!” she begged again and Sasuke smirked. “You tried to maim me, and now you want me to obey you?” he ‘tsked’ playfully and she laughed again. “Maim you?! It was a snowball!” she squealed, trying to kick her legs as Sasuke held them against his chest. “No I could have died,” he told her jokingly, laughing at her when she scoffed in return.  
  
“Okay I’ll put you down,” he said finally as they neared the entrance to the diner. He swiftly brought his hand up and gave her ass a loud smack, and he heard her inhale sharply as she dug her nails into his back slightly.  
  
She immediately kissed him upon touching the ground again, pulling him down by the front of his jacket. He chuckled into the rough kiss, before breaking it off. “Let’s get you food,” he told her and she smiled warmly at him, hints of lust glittering in her viridian eyes.  
  
The two found a quiet booth, and rather than sit across from each other they sat next to each other with Sakura on the inside. She cuddled up to him closely, snatching one of the menus that sat behind the napkins.  
  
“Are you gonna get anything?” she asked him. He shook his head, “Probably just a coffee.” She looked up at him with a disapproving look, before rolling her eyes and smiling down at the menu.  
  
Sasuke ordered a black coffee, while Sakura opted for french toast. She snickered at the face that he’d _ thought _ he had hidden when she ordered it, and he squeezed her waist in return, enjoying the soft ‘eep’ that fell from her lips.  
  
They had fallen into the rhythm of a couple quickly, but Sasuke was done being surprised when it came to Sakura. It was just how things were between them, and he had accepted it, content to just enjoy the feeling of finally having someone.  
  
“So what’d you think of Ryo?” she questioned, sipping on her water. Sasuke frowned, “He’s okay I guess,” he replied disinterestedly. The Uchiha really didn’t care either way, not having had much of a conversation with him. He seemed friendly, but the way he would flinch slightly or clench his jaw all while keeping his smile, did put Sasuke off a bit. He didn’t think anyone but him had even noticed it though, so Sasuke decided to keep his mouth shut about it. Besides, his girlfriend was apparently friends with him so… whatever.  
  
Sakura hummed questioningly at his response. “That’s fair, maybe we can get to know him better at Naruto’s party,” she huffed as she leaned her right elbow on the table to put her chin in her hand. He nodded his head in agreement. Ryo seemed to get along really well with Sai and Ino, so it seemed he’d probably be a good fit for their group.  
  
Sakura’s food was finally brought out and she immediately dug in. They talked quietly for awhile, about a variety of topics. Before finally settling on the news Kiba had told them earlier.  
  
“Did you ever ask Itachi if he knew anything?” she asked as she finished her food and pushed the plate away from her. No, he hadn’t. He didn’t feel like he had to, automatically knowing that if there was an active serial killer in the area he’d definitely be on the case. The older Uchiha was always put on high priority cases like that. “No, he wouldn’t tell me anything anyways,” he said taking a sip of his coffee, “but, sometimes he asks me to help out with cases so maybe at some point I will,” he finished. Sakura nodded and took a sip of her water, when his mind quickly produced an idea. “Wanna stay at my place tonight?” he suddenly asked her. He wouldn’t lie about how much he loved it that she immediately said yes.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
It was around 3:30 in the morning when Itachi’s phone went off loudly, pulling him from his slumber. He pinched the bridge of his nose and with a sigh, rolled over to take the call. “Detective Itachi,” he answered. “Hey, get up and meet me near the bookstore by the diag on KSU campus,” It was his partner, Kisame. Itachi stayed silent, waiting for more information. “Oh, right, sorry. They found another body. 23 year old female, wounds consistent with the other 5,” he said seriously. The Uchiha nodded, “Got it, I’ll be there in 10,” he replied before hanging up his phone and jumping out of bed.  
  
  
~*~  
  
  
When he arrived at the crime scene, he was not surprised that the force surrounding it was relatively small. Even though they had decided to go public with the information that there was a serial killer, they had refrained from bringing too much attention to the murders themselves. If the press got ahold of the information, it would give the killer a bigger outlet. Itachi didn’t know what type of killer he was dealing with yet but he wanted to play it safe in case a platform caused him to act out more.  
  
Itachi flashed his badge at one of the cops before ducking under the yellow caution tape and walking up to his partner who was currently talking with someone from evidence. The man bid goodbye to who he was talking to at the sight of him. “Yo, Itachi,” he said, raising a hand into a quick wave. Itachi replied with a ‘hn’ as his form of greeting. “Body?” he questioned. Kisame nodded silently to the left, and both of them walked over to where there were a few people around taking photographs and evidence.  
  
Itachi instantly knew that the killer had once again changed a part of his MO as soon as he saw the body. This victim had the same bruises and knife wounds as the last, but across her arms, neck, face, and legs, there had been letters carved into her over and over. ‘_Mine_’ it read, and Itachi raised an eyebrow as he crouched down to take a closer look. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kisame hold out a pair of blue gloves for him. He took them without looking back and slid them on.  
  
He leaned closer and pulled her torn shirt up to see her badly beaten and bloody stomach, his dark eyes checking for more words. There were none. “The killer only carved the words on visible parts of her body,” he said, his hot breath creating a light cloud in front of him from the cold. Kisame hummed in acknowledgement. “Can you tell if they were carved before or after her death?” he questioned. Itachi knew that Kisame was very skilled as a detective, but he also knew that where he had gaps in knowledge, Itachi would be the one to fill them in.  
  
“Yes, it looked like he did that first actually,” he replied. Itachi continued to look over the body, making sure to check the feet for black coal marks. He smirked when he found exactly that. Itachi stood, stripping the latex gloves off carefully before tossing them into the makeshift trash that the evidence workers had set up.  
  
“I noticed this the other night, but it seems that all of our victims have black coal dust on their feet.” he turned and told his partner. Kisame nodded and pondered it for a brief moment. “Factory district out by the ore docks?” he said and Itachi smirked. “We should start there tomorrow. There are quite a few abandoned warehouses so it seems promising,” he replied. Kisame slapped a hand on his back, “See, this is why I’m glad you’re my partner and not some half-wit rookie,” he said with a grin. Itachi smirked, before waving him off. “I’m going home for a few more hours of sleep, we’ll start in the morning,” he said, Kisame chuckling and following him away from the body.  
  
Neither man had noticed the blonde evidence worker listening to them as they discussed the body. He had made sure to stay quiet as he collected forensic samples from the face.  
  
Once the two detectives walked away, the worker’s face contorted into a malicious smile, eyes simmering with controlled anger. He had gotten sloppy, and all he wanted to do was take his anger out on the bitch below him again. He stood before he could lose his control. Tonight had not gone as planned, and he was still so angry. He briefly thought about picking up another woman, but changed his mind. He had more important things to focus on. He smoothed his features out and easily fell back into his charismatic disguise before walking back to his colleagues with the samples. He would have to clear out the warehouse tonight.  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are starting to heat up huh?
> 
> Review if you can :)
> 
> EDIT: Since a few people have asked this, I want to clarify that Jiro and Ryu are two different people. Jiro has brown hair and blue eyes, while Ryu has blonde hair and amethyst eyes. And I know I never got around to really describing what Jiro looks like in detail, but they look different from each other. If you can imagine it, Jiro is more of a plain-looking guy and I'd compare Ryu to an idol or a model.


	7. Time Well Spent

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update took a little longer than previous chapters and I'm sorry! I was having a rough time getting it onto "paper", and it's also getting to that point in the semester where my writing starts to come second to my ever-growing workload. For now, I'm going to aim for weekly updates! Don't worry though, now that I have the entire story plotted, it absolutely will be finished. I'm estimating 15 chapters, but we'll see.
> 
> As always, this was reviewed and edited by only me, so forgive me if there are any mistakes!
> 
> Enjoy the new chapter!

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
A loud yawn filled the room as Ryu walked through the door of his apartment and slammed it shut. The blonde had spent the past couple of hours decontaminating the warehouse he’d been using, and now it was 8-something in the morning and he hadn’t had time to sleep. He quickly shed his clothing and got into bed. Wanting nothing more than to sleep, he closed his eyes and tried to drift off. Instead, however, his thoughts began to wander to his Sakura. Tonight had changed things as he finally confirmed that she and the Uchiha had started dating. Truthfully, he knew it was coming as he had watched them spend more and more time together over the past two weeks.  
  
He groaned into his pillow as he thought about the Uchiha showing up at the bar. He’d had no warning, no knowledge that Sasuke was going to show up and take all of his blossom’s attention away from him. After the painful introductions, it had taken everything in him not to freak the fuck out at the sight of him casually gripping her thigh, but he had managed. It was sickening and all he wanted to do was kill him now. But he knew that wasn’t part of the plan.  
  
Ryu had followed her from her house to Charlie’s that night, hoping to watch her for as long as he could. While he had been drinking at the bar, she had unexpectedly bumped into him. The interaction had quickly shifted his plans, but he was fine with it considering he only had a few weeks left until success was his. She’d looked so beautiful as she panicked over him at the bar, and it had set his veins aflame. All he’d wanted to do was reach out and touch her, caress her soft skin. But that was not what strangers did to each other. He might be different than others, but he knew what people deemed acceptable. Besides, he was exceptional at playing the nice guy, the guy that everyone found charming and friendly. He was an incredible liar and an even better manipulator, so he knew it wouldn’t be long until he was able to touch her.  
  
According to society, his interests were depraved and he knew that people would consider him a monster beneath a handsome face. But humans were all miserable, pathetic creatures and he was reminded every day that their _ only _ saving grace was the woman he loved. They knew nothing about the finer things in life; how good it felt to watch someone grovel for them or how peaceful it was watching the life dim from another’s eyes. They chose to label those actions as evil, but Ryu knew they weren’t. Killing gave meaning to his life, so how could something so impactful be bad? They were the ones who were wrong, not him.  
  
He had been killing for much longer than the 6 bodies he had purposefully let the police find. Ryu had been indulging in his desires since he was 14, and at 28 years old now, he was a seasoned veteran when it came to the hunt. To be fair, he mused, until he had met his blossom killing had just been a hobby to pass the time. He had done it infrequently back then, about once every few months. But, ever since he had met her at the park last spring, his hobby had started to become a requirement.  
  
Ryu's mind came back to the present and snorted at the thought of that idiot Jiro. He yawned again and quickly found himself reminiscing more on the beginning of it all.  
  
She was so beautiful that afternoon they had met, but she had been in the arms of a complete and utter waste of space. The blonde had felt the pull of fate between them, and he knew as soon as she quoted his favorite philosopher, that she was destined to be his. For the first time in his life, he had felt hesitant to hurt another human. He was falling for another person, and it had truly shocked him to his core.  
  
Ryu knew she loved the brown-haired man she had been with, and although everything within him had screamed to snuff him out to take her, he knew it would cause her pain. So he had smiled and played nice with his high school classmate, making sure to get her full name so he could pursue her later.  
  
And pursue her he did. He patiently bided his time, knowing that Jiro had always been too possessive of women for his own good. The man would eventually ruin things, just like he had with every other girl he’d dated from their class back in the day. And Ryu was right. Many months later, the blonde had watched the two through her living room window as they screamed at each other. He had known it was about Jiro’s idiotic behavior, however, it really didn’t matter to him why or how it happened, all he cared about was that her mistake had run its course, leaving her finally free for him.  
  
But then, to Ryu’s disappointment, he had almost gotten caught. He had foolishly left one of his victims with too much evidence and in return he was forced to focus on his work for the next 6 months, leaving him no time to take what was finally his. It had been a tricky thing, to break into evidence lockers and swap items around. Fake his lab tests and throw the lowly detectives off of the case.  
  
Eventually, though, things died off in October as the case became cold. So with everything squared away, he had finally decided to return to his love after being away from her for so many months.  
  
Ryu had returned to her on a particularly nice October evening and followed her to her friend’s house, looking so beautiful and ethereal even in her casual clothes. There was to be a party, and so with a Halloween disguise of his own, he had entered the party later that night in hopes of finally taking her. But he had come too late, and he had almost screamed at the sight he saw when he found her.  
  
He watched the dark-haired man touch her in places only he was supposed to, and the anger that roared inside of him at the sight had caused him to crush the cup of liquor in his hands, causing a few people to step away from him in shock. Luckily, he’d had his mask on as he _knew_ his face was positively enraged. His blood was boiling, and all he wanted to do was rip the man away from her. He had never seen Jiro make her look the way she did then, her face contorted in pleasure as the man touched his disgusting lips to her neck. How dare this man touch what was his, how dare any other person touch what belonged to him! His heart had lurched with the knowledge of her perfect body once again falling into the arms of yet another mistake.  
  
In response, he had almost run from the party as he watched the two disappear from the dance floor. But Ryu had started to unravel as he realized that the man was going to take her that night. In haste, he had torn his mask off and calmed his expression, putting on a different kind of mask.  
  
That night, as his blossom made another mistake, he had picked up a nice brunette woman to have some fun with. He had followed her outside before taking her by surprise and throwing her into his car and it had ended up being the most violent kill he’d ever committed. The blissful release that flowed through his body afterward had been incredible and left him craving the touch of his blossom.  
  
Even now as he lay in bed, the thought of the kill had his body humming with contentment. He sighed as his mind finally started to drift off to sleep. Burying his head into his pillow, he felt the memories began to merge into each other, and as reality faded around him, he began to dream about that night.  
  
  
  
**~*~**  
  
  
  
_ The night of the Halloween party: _  
  
  
Ryu had finished his kill a little bit ago, and as he quietly cleared the body of DNA, a thought suddenly came to him. The man from earlier had looked _ very _ familiar.  
  
Ryu stepped away from the body and took his latex gloves off. Taking out his phone and unlocking it, he searched for the person he had thought of and almost instantly found exactly what he was looking for. The grin that appeared on his face was maniacal as he began to cackle, his laugh echoing off the walls of his warehouse. In his hand, he was looking at Facebook of all things. The person that had come to mind was someone he knew well, Itachi Uchiha.  
  
The blonde suspected a relation of some sort and was happy to easily find the man who had tainted what was his. Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha. The two were brothers! God, what a treat, what an absolutely golden opportunity.  
  
Ryu turned back to the body and took another hard look at the woman below him. If they were brothers, then maybe he could get back at Sasuke after all. His mind raced as he began to form plans- contingencies for his contingencies. Ryu hadn’t gotten away with all his murders over the years by being stupid. He was what people often referred to as a prodigy or a genius, and it served him incredibly well.  
  
He was going to finally have some fun with the FBI, he decided. Ryu had wanted to for a long time, as a way to test just how capable he and the bureau really were. It was high-risk though, as he knew Itachi Uchiha would be the one looking for him eventually. But, that was the point, wasn’t it? High-risk, high-reward, he mused. Ryu would risk his freedom for revenge.  
  
The blonde’s mind quickly went back to his blossom. He would forgive her just this once, he told himself. Ryu knew he had been gone too long and she had probably been lonely. His blossom had needs too, he thought.  
  
With his plans already whirling around in his head, he laughed again as he knew the best part was that he would be killing more than ever before. He wanted to test himself, give in to his rage and feel that euphoric feeling he had earlier. He would have his fun before he claimed his prize.  
  
Ryu pulled his gloves back on and crouched down to prepare the body for transport.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
Sakura stirred slightly as she felt something tickle her thigh, waking her from her sleep. She had been having a wonderful dream about...well... actually, she didn’t remember. With her eyes still closed, she furrowed her brows as the tickling feeling turned into a light pinch. Letting out a soft sigh, the pinkette tried to ignore the strange feeling in an attempt to return back to her dreams.  
  
However, her boyfriend had other plans because suddenly Sakura was lurching upwards with a sharp gasp, reaching out for what had given her the intense pressure she now felt from between her legs. Her green eyes flew open and she moaned loudly in surprise as Sasuke swirled his tongue roughly around her clit.  
  
At the feeling of her finally waking and gripping his hair roughly, he groaned onto her wet cunt and the resulting vibrations caused her to buck her hips in a silent plea for more. Sakura was now immediately awake, and it felt like someone had thrown a bucket of cold water on her. Except instead of feeling jolted, she felt warm and she felt… erotic.  
  
After a moment of watching him in shock, her face turned red with heat and in response, she fell back onto the bed to let Sasuke work her, making sure to spread her legs wider for him to have better access. He was moving so slow now, and with his precise movements, she felt that familiar ache begin to build within her already. She knew she needed more if she wanted to cum, but she had a feeling that Sasuke wouldn’t bring her there until _ he _ felt it was time.   
  
Another moan left her mouth as she felt him insert a finger into her; first one, then two. His tongue kept at it, drawing slow and lazy circles around her swollen clit while his fingers curved inside of her to caress her slick walls. She squirmed at the pleasure he was giving her, whining at the intense need to meet his slow thrusting fingers with her hips, but she knew that if she did, his tongue would move from where it currently was.  
  
“Sasuke please... ” she moaned breathily and at the sound of her voice, the man hummed in satisfaction, sending another deliciously smooth vibration onto her clit. Her eyes clenched shut from the sensation and she felt her legs begin to quiver slightly as her body began to beg for release. She was so close, and she silently cursed the gods knowing that Sasuke was keeping her on the edge purposefully.  
  
He continued his ministrations, so torturously slow and even-paced, that she began to feel lightheaded as moans continuously flowed from her mouth as breathy whines and whimpers. She wanted to scream at him. Yell at him to pick up the pace, even just a little bit. She had been on the edge for what felt like too long now and it was making her mind go blank, only able to focus on the warmth rapidly growing inside of her lower abdomen.  
  
Sakura felt her body begin to overheat, and she squirmed at the change in temperature. She couldn’t take it anymore, she needed to cum. “Sasuke,” she said as firmly as one on the precipice of orgasm could, “Sasuke _ please _ , I-” her soft words were cut off as he gave her clit a rough suck. A broken moan tore from her throat as she threw her head back onto the pillow. She was going to lose her fucking mind. “ _ Sasuke _ !” she was practically screaming now, reaching down to pull on his hair and buck her hips into his mouth. She didn’t care anymore, she needed her release.  
  
“Sasuke, _please_... I need to cum, let me _cum, _ ” she was begging him so desperately and it showed, her pants loud and her moans broken. At the sound of her cries, he finally gave it to her. At the instantaneous switch in pace, the breath from her lungs left her quickly as a choked moan, the sound echoing around his room. His fingers were moving faster, and she could hear how wet she was as he thrust in and out of her quickly. Sakura’s legs began to shake as she felt her orgasm rushing towards the surface, and on instinct, her hands reached down to roughly grasp his raven hair once again. His tongue applied more pressure to her clit and the coil that had been wound so tight from his teasing finally snapped.  
  
She came loudly, an incoherent mantra of ‘yeses’ and ‘Sasuke’ flowed out of her mouth as her orgasm shook her to her core. Her body clenched tightly and her vision blurred while Sasuke fucked her through it. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t imagine anything other than the pleasure this man was giving her.  
  
As she finally came down from her high, she sluggishly threw right her arm over her eyes in exhaustion, not wanting to look at her boyfriend just yet. Her whole body was jelly and as he removed his fingers from her, she let her legs completely collapse onto the bed. Her breathing was harsh, and the sound of it made her blush as she realized just how loud she really was.  
  
Her delicate pink brows pinched together in focus, trying to will herself to look at the man who she felt was now laying next to her. Was he watching her? Sakura licked her dry lips and finally moved her arm away to peek at him. She squinted at the light shining through the window behind him, but she saw him. He was looking at her now with the world's most mischievous smirk. The bastard.  
  
A light and breathy laugh left her as she weakly smiled at him. “Well, good morning to you too,” she whispered as her breathing finally slowed down to almost normal. His smirk turned into a small smile as he leaned down to kiss her. She took his mouth eagerly, and she groaned at the taste of her on his tongue. As they kissed, he brought the blanket he had removed from her back over her body and she shivered at the new warmth around her.  
  
They parted for air and she loved the way he immediately cupped her cheek so tenderly. They laid there next to each other for a few minutes before Sakura wanted to be closer to him. She scooted into the side of his body, throwing an arm over his chest and intertwining their legs. In response, Sasuke brought his hand down to rub slow circles onto the small of her back. She felt like she wanted to purr.  
  
The silence was comfortable, both of them enjoying the warmth of each other. Sakura didn’t know what time it was, but from the sounds of birds outside of Sasuke’s window, she figured it was still morning.  
  
She loved the way he smelled, and she had been so happy that his entire room smelled just like him. The room felt like him too. Dark grey walls, sleek black dressers, and a black-trimmed full-length mirror. His bed was bigger than hers; a king-sized bed with the softest black comforter and pillows she’d ever slept with. Sakura was tempted to force herself into his home forever in an effort to never leave this bed and at the thought, she smiled softly.  
  
“What’s so funny?” he asked her, breaking the silence that had flowed around them. He must have felt her lips smile against his chest.  
  
“Oh… just thinking about how I never want to leave your bed,” she replied with a soft giggle.  
  
He chuckled at her words, “I could probably oblige that request...” he whispered back as he leaned down to nip at her ear. Sakura rolled her eyes and finally sat up to turn and look at him.  
  
Sasuke was so damn perfect with his lips slightly swollen from eating her and his hair more of a mess than usual. She smiled and leaned towards him with the intent to kiss, but before her lips could meet their target, the sound of his front door slamming shut rang through his apartment.  
  
The couple immediately froze before turning their gaze to his bedroom door. Sasuke let out a heavy sigh as he ran his hand through his tangled locks, and then, to Sakura’s displeasure, he was getting up and out of bed. She watched him grab a pair of boxers from his dresser and then throw on a pair of baggy gray sweatpants. He stopped to look in the mirror, hands moving to ruffle his hair as he smoothed down the bed head that had formed. Sakura bit her bottom lip as she watched him, thoroughly enjoying the sight of him getting out of bed in a space that was so undeniably him.  
  
He turned to look at her now, dark eyes swirling with longing. “I’ll be right back, it’s probably Naruto,” he said as he opened the door to his room. She nodded softly before plopping back into the blankets and snuggling them close to her with a heavy sigh of her own.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
Sasuke was confused that someone was at his house before noon, and he hadn’t lied when he said it could be Naruto. His best friend had a spare key to his place, though, typically the blonde was known to let him know he was going to show up. Shutting the bedroom door behind him quietly, he cleared his throat before heading towards his living room. Kasai was running up to him and rubbing against his shin as he passed his laundry room. Probably in an attempt to get pets or food... or _both_, he mused.  
  
His eyes widened as he stopped at the entrance to his living room, surprised to not find Naruto, but his brother instead. Sasuke’s elder brother was sitting on his couch, looking dressed for work and utterly bored. The younger Uchiha’s face contorted in confusion. “Itachi?” he questioned.  
  
At the sound of his name, his brother slowly looked up from the book he had picked up off of Sasuke’s coffee table. Itachi eyed him with a blank expression, “Do you have a woman in your bedroom?” he asked.  
  
Sasuke scoffed and rolled his eyes at that, walking away from the now smug looking man and into the kitchen to make a pot of coffee. Itachi was just trying to push his buttons, he knew. If his brother wasn’t going to talk with him seriously, best to just wait until he gets bored with toying with him.  
  
He heard his brother follow him into the kitchen and take a seat at his table.  
  
“What do you want Itachi?” he challenged as he threw coffee grounds into the pot, never turning his gaze from it.  
  
His brother cleared his throat from behind him, “I can’t visit my little brother just because?” he claimed, and Sasuke didn’t miss the slight edge to his tone that he knew was amusement.  
  
The younger Uchiha sighed before turning around to lean against the counter and face his brother with an equally bored expression.  
  
“If that were the case then you wouldn’t have dropped by unannounced,” he pointed out before walking over to his cupboard to grab a mug. Itachi chuckled quietly as he took out his phone to look for something on it. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at that as he returned to pour himself a cup of coffee.  
  
Itachi was quiet for longer than he was comfortable with, and the amount of time this visit was taking was starting to annoy Sasuke. This was so like his brother though, as he was sure the older Uchiha knew he wanted to go back to his bedroom. So in an attempt to move things along quicker, Sasuke decided to just give his brother what he wanted.  
  
“I do have a woman in my bed, and I’d like to go back to her actually...today perhaps?” he said stressing the last part in an effort to point out just how annoyed he was with his brother.  
  
The Uchiha brothers cared for each other deeply, but their dynamic was one that was usually to the point and matter of fact… unless Itachi felt in the mood to tease him. Like this morning apparently.  
  
Itachi looked up from his phone with a smirk, “Oh is that so, huh? I want to meet the woman that got my stubborn little brother to let her stay the night,” he teased.  
  
Sasuke rolled his eyes and took a sip of his coffee. “I’ve had women stay before,” the younger Uchiha muttered with a slight frown. He knew it was a lie even before he said it, and Itachi knew it too.  
  
The long-haired Uchiha gave him a knowing look before looking back to his phone. “Alright, I need your help with a case I’ve been working on,” he announced after a moment.  
  
Sasuke nodded his head as a response, “Fine,” he replied, “but can this wait until later? Maybe I can drop by the station tonight?”  
  
Itachi chuckled now as he put his phone away. “That’s a change for you. Could this woman be your girlfriend perhaps?” he taunted, his smile turning into one that was much too smug for Sasuke’s liking.  
  
Sasuke opened his mouth to retort but before he could, however, his attention was drawn to the doorway of his kitchen. The woman in question was standing silently, wearing one of his t-shirts and holding a furry black cat in her arms. Sasuke’s eyes widened at the sight and he felt himself thanking the gods that the shirt she’d chosen was big enough to cover everything of hers.  
  
She looked surprised to not see Naruto, and her face instantly turned red. “Oh I didn’t- I…” she stammered.  
  
At the sound of her voice, Itachi turned from his brother to look at her. Sasuke couldn’t see his brother’s face as he looked at her, but he was sure his brother was quickly evaluating her. Not in a perverted way, but in a general way. That’s just how he was. Unfortunately, he was positive that Sakura didn’t know that though.  
  
Sakura looked nervous as he stared and she pursed her lips, looking to Sasuke in silent question. He sighed at the unexpected encounter occurring in his kitchen, “Itachi, this is my girlfriend Sakura,” he introduced, trying to keep his tone even and free from emotion.  
  
To be honest, it wasn’t that big of a deal that Sakura was meeting his brother... it was more so that it was in his kitchen while they were both half-naked. He hadn’t been hiding her either, he had just wanted to get Itachi out so that he could get back into bed with her.  
  
Sasuke watched Sakura’s face turn from bashful into a hesitantly soft smile. “Oh… um…” she stammered again, unable to find the words to say. He figured she felt the same as him, not wanting to meet his brother here and now of all places.  
  
“It’s very nice to meet you Sakura,” Itachi said smoothly, “and I see you’ve got Kasai in your arms. I hope he hasn’t caused you any trouble. My little brother never trained him,” he finished with what Sasuke knew was a smirk and in response to his brother’s jab at him, the younger Uchiha scoffed in annoyance.  
  
Sakura laughed quietly at the two brothers while bending over slightly to put his cat down. “Oh … Kasai is very well behaved. He makes me wish I had a cat of my own, actually,” she replied matter-of-factly. However, she still didn’t move from her spot in the doorway and Sasuke wondered if it was her attire that prevented her from making her way into the kitchen. Maybe he should have her wait in his room?  
  
“If you want to you can go back to the bedroom and I’ll bring you coffee in a minute?” Sasuke questioned her. Green eyes left the man in front of her to look at him now, adoration seeping into her gaze. “Hmm…” she hummed with a sly smile.  
  
Before she could respond, however, Itachi interrupted. “No worries, I’ll be on my way now anyways,” his brother said before standing promptly and returning to face him, “Come by the office tonight, Kisame and I will be working,” he asserted.  
  
Sakura blushed slightly as she stepped aside to let Itachi through.  
  
“Perhaps we will meet again soon at a more…appropriate time,” the eldest Uchiha remarked as he slipped on his shoes. Sakura nodded in response with a light blush, and with a quick salute in his direction, Itachi was out the door.  
  
At Itachi’s departure, the two of them were quiet for a few minutes. Sasuke had thought for sure Itachi would have stayed longer to tease them both, but maybe he had seen something that Sasuke didn’t. It wouldn’t be the first time, that’s for sure. With a shrug, Sasuke stood to get Sakura a cup of coffee.  
  
“Well now that you’re up…” he grabbed a mug from the cupboard and turned to the pink-haired woman with an eyebrow raised in question. “Oh,” she said as she walked into the room to take a seat at the table, “yes please.”  
  
Sasuke brought her the caffeine-filled mug before promptly taking the chair across from her. “So…” he trailed off awkwardly, not really knowing what to say, “sorry you had to meet my brother like this,” he finally settled on.  
  
Sakura looked at him curiously as she took the first sip from her mug, “It’s fine, I really don’t mind at all,” she paused, “however, I guess I do wish I had been properly dressed,” she revealed. The pair laughed softly at that, and Sasuke smirked as he felt his heart warm at the sound of her.  
  
“What did he want with you?” she asked him then, slight trepidation in her voice.  
  
“Oh, he wants me to assist him on that serial killer case Kiba told us about,” he answered, and instantly her green eyes glittered with interest.  
  
“Oh? well then…” her face twisted with mischief, “hopefully you learn some cool stuff to spill to me,” she taunted, sticking her tongue out at him playfully.  
  
He rolled his eyes and flashed her a small smile. Sasuke knew that she was smart enough to know about the confidentiality of cases like that, but for once in his life he found himself feeling the urge to actually break those rules.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
After finishing their coffee and eating a quick bite of food, the pair spent the rest of the day in bed. Sakura had dragged him under the covers to cuddle, and Sasuke had never wanted anything more than to stay with her. The two had talked quietly about their friends and the upcoming holiday, and after sharing a few quick kisses that turned into more, Sakura had climbed on top of him and rode him until both of them had tumbled into orgasm simultaneously. It was passionate and tender, and as the afternoon stretched on, the two found themselves intertwined in pleasure another three times. Each different than the last, each enjoying the feeling of touching uninterrupted and exploring the different ways they could make love.  
  
After fully exhausting themselves, the two snuggled close, surrounded by a comfortable silence as they watched the snow fall softly outside of Sasuke’s bedroom window. She had remarked earlier after breakfast that it was her favorite part of his room. The floor to ceiling view of the city had her in awe, and it made her wish she had an apartment up high like his. It surprisingly had her contemplating what she was missing by staying in the residential district with her childhood home, and for once, she didn’t feel scared as she thought of abandoning it all.  
  
Sakura was starting to realize just how much of an effect Sasuke was starting to have on her. He made her feel calm and so incredibly sure of herself, and that was something she never thought would happen. Sakura by nature was a very strong woman. She was opinionated, hot-tempered, and hardly took no for an answer. Yet there was always that small voice deep down inside of her that was reminiscent of her young and naive childhood self. The one who didn’t know what she was doing, the one who brought out what most people called ‘imposter syndrome’. But spending time with Sasuke was soothing to her soul, and she found herself thinking once again how badly it made her want to believe in soul mates or fate. There was simply no explanation for the strength of the feelings between them and how fast they’d grown together in such a short amount of time.  
  
She didn’t know if she was _ in _ love with him yet, but she certainly felt it developing. Sakura hoped he felt the same, and after (accidentally) overhearing Itachi mention that Sasuke had never let other women stay with him, she had felt her heart soaring out of her chest. Her boyfriend had denied it, but the silence that had followed was telling, and even after such a brief meeting, she could tell Itachi was no liar even when he was teasing.  
  
Sakura’s phone going off interrupted her thoughts and even though she knew it was just a text she could read later, she noticed that the sun had finally gone down. Sasuke was supposed to meet his brother tonight and she did not want to be the one to prevent that from happening. So reluctantly, she removed the strong arm draped over her waist and reached for the device on the nightstand.  
  
  
  
_ (6:40pm) Hey, we should do something! we haven't spent time together in a while and I miss my sister lol  
  
_ _  
_ _  
_ It was Naruto, and as she thought about it for a moment, she realized that he was right. They hadn’t spent time alone together since at least September. The two of them had a close bond, and with her now dating his best friend she was worried about their relationship changing. She knew that was a stupid thought, Naruto was like her brother and he’d die before letting anything come between them. But it was a worry nonetheless.  
  
She replied quickly with an invitation to grab dinner somewhere, and after a few moments, he replied with the name of the restaurant. _ Ichiraku. _ That had been ‘their spot’ since high school and even though she swore she’d gotten tired of eating there, the thought of spending time there tonight gave her warm nostalgia. Her stomach grumbled and she heard Sasuke chuckle softly behind her. Sakura rolled her eyes and smiled before confirming for 8 with Naruto.  
  
Locking her phone and tossing it gently back onto the nightstand, she rolled over to hug herself close to Sasuke, throwing her arm across his chest and a leg in between his.  
  
“I’m gonna go get dinner with Naruto in about an hour,” she said softly as she nestled her head on his shoulder, “so we should probably get out of bed.”  
  
Sasuke had his eyes closed in a state of relaxation and she looked up at him to see him nod in agreement. “Hn, sounds awful,” he said as he opened up one of his eyes to peek at her with a smirk.  
  
She snorted quietly at that, “For being his best friend, you sure do love to rip on him,” she smirked back at him. He closed his eyes again in response and let out a breathy laugh.  
  
“Yeah well…” he sighed, “that’s just how we are.” He hugged her tighter for a moment before releasing her and removing himself by sitting up. She let him leave her arms and noticed how much she hated the thought of leaving him. Today had been a great day, and she hoped they would have many more days ahead of them to laze around in bed together.  
  
“My two boys,” she grumbled as she watched him get up to find clothes. He gave her a knowing look at her words as he quietly padded around his room, grabbing jeans and boxers from his dresser and a plain navy t-shirt from his closet.  
  
Sakura really needed to get up and join him in getting dressed so they could go, but she felt glued to his comfortable bed. Sasuke noticed her reluctance and walked towards her to give her what she had assumed was a kiss. However, he just tickled her relentlessly until she was up and across the room to get away from him.  
  
They both laughed as they dressed quickly, and before she knew it they were hopping into his car and heading towards her house. Sasuke was going to drop her off before heading to Itachi’s office, as Sakura wanted to shower and change before going out.  
  
As they pulled into her driveway and parked, he leaned forward to kiss her goodbye and she took him willingly, the kiss deepening until her tongue managed to pull a soft groan from his throat. Sakura smiled against his lips at the noise and he pulled back with a huff. “Okay get out of my car,” he said urged playfully, eyes lustful and words breathy with desire.  
  
She gave him a smug grin before catching him off guard by leaning forward and stealing another quick kiss. She knew by the way his hands had twitched slightly on the wheel that he wanted to join her inside.  
  
“Call me when you’re done with Itachi,” she said excitedly as she got out of the car. He nodded and gave her an affirming ‘hn’ before she closed the door.  
  
The snow was coming down harder now and throughout the day, it had deposited a nice fluffy white blanket across the ground. She hurriedly unlocked the door to get into the warmth of her home and as soon as she entered, she finally heard Sasuke pull out of the driveway and leave.  
  
She sighed as she kicked her boots off and ran upstairs to take a quick shower and change.  
  
“I already miss him,” she quietly pouted to no one but herself.  


* * *

  
  
  
“I can’t believe you and the teme are together,” Naruto declared between slurps of his ramen. The two of them were sitting comfortably in a booth at Ichiraku’s, chatting about their lives as they ate. They had talked mostly about Hinata and him so far, and she was not surprised that the conversation now flowed to her love life. Sakura laughed gently into her bowl, ignoring the comment with an eye roll as she continued to eat.  
  
The blonde grinned before setting his chopsticks down across the bowl, and Sakura was surprised to see his face become more serious than usual. She paused her eating at his expression, looking at him expectantly. It was clear he wanted to say something.  
  
“I…,” he said softly, his blue eyes becoming muted with a kind of mellowness she’d only expect from him, “I think you’ve really started to change Sasuke,” he spoke finally.  
  
Her pink eyebrows rose in mild concern, not really expecting that to be the thing he was going to say. “Why do you say that?” she replied, her voice unintentionally hushing lower into an almost whisper.  
  
Naruto shrugged, shaking off the seriousness, “I don’t know, he just seems different,” he beamed before continuing, “like, more open I guess... “ he trailed off and when he noticed the slight fear in her green eyes he quickly clarified, “I mean, it’s a good thing! I promise!”  
  
Sakura didn’t like the thought of changing someone, even though earlier she had been contemplating how good it was that he was changing her. She almost frowned, but she supposed if this was an improvement for Sasuke, no one would know better than Naruto. She’d take his word for it.  
  
“Well…” she began before taking a drink of her water, “I think he’s changing me too. I feel more confident in myself when I’m around him lately,”  
  
Naruto chuckled, “Well good, that means you’re perfect for each other,” he said, “besides, you must mean a lot to him for him to date you so quickly. He’s never been like that,” he mumbled between more bites of his food, juices spilling out of his mouth as he chewed with it open. Sakura rolled her eyes at his table manners. He knew how much she hated that!  
  
“Chew with your mouth closed, please!” she threw at him as her eyebrow twitched with annoyance. He laughed at her anger and proceeded to slurp his noodles more loudly in an attempt to grate her nerves even further. Sakura instantly thought of all the ways she could hurt him from across the booth. “I’m serious Naruto, don’t make me clock you right here in front of everyone,” she held up one of her fists and Naruto swallowed the food he had in his mouth with a gulp.  
  
“Ne, you wouldn’t dare…” he narrowed his eyes in suspicion but paled lightly with fear. Sakura slammed her fist on the table, “Try me,” she replied with a narrowing of her own eyes.  
  
Naruto instantly went from fearful to smug, a lecherous grin adorning his face, “Okay… slug-hime,” he was chuckling evilly and when her face became red with anger, his chuckle broke out into a full-on cackle that caused multiple people eating to look over to their table.  
  
Sakura was embarrassed, but she was no coward because of it. With a huff, she quickly scooped up a piece of beef from her bowl and flung it from the spoon that had been sitting in the broth. It hit his forehead with a wet _ smack _ and he instantly stopped laughing as he tried to comprehend why there was suddenly a piece of meat stuck to his face.  
  
The pink-haired woman broke out into giggles of her own, his goofy reaction immediately quelling the annoyance from being compared to her mentor. He soon joined her in laughing as he reached up to peel the meat from his forehead.  
  
“Itadakimasu,” he sang as he plopped the meat into his mouth. She just giggled harder in response, tears forming in the outer corners of her eyes. God, she missed this. Their banter had never changed in all the years she’d known him, and she hoped it never would.  
  
She let out a long sigh as she wiped the tears from her eyes, loving the way her friend was looking at her with such joy.  
  
The two of them finished their meal, and at Naruto’s insistence, they parted ways. He seemed sad to not hang out longer but assured her he’d see her at the party on Friday. The blonde was heading over to Hinata’s parents' house to have a chat with Hiashi, though he wouldn’t say what about. Sakura wondered if maybe he was going to ask for Hinata’s hand in marriage. She knew that Hinata came from an incredibly traditional family and that if Naruto wanted to marry her, he’d have to go about it the old-fashioned way.  
  
The thought of Naruto and Hinata getting married made her giddy with excitement, so she made sure to hug the blonde tightly as she bid him goodbye. They parted ways and on the drive home, her mind drifted on its own to the thought of a future with Sasuke.  


* * *

  
  
  
  
“So there are no witnesses then? For any of the victims?” Sasuke was laying on the couch in Itachi’s office, throwing and catching an apple into the air that he had picked up from the receptionist.  
  
Kisame grunted behind him as he slumped further into the chair in the corner. Itachi’s partner was currently re-reading the file containing the lab findings from the dirt in the warehouses they’d searched, “Nope, and the families had no helpful information to offer either," he answered.  
  
Across the room, Itachi rolled his eyes in frustration. That morning they had crept around the factory district in hopes of finding clues and to his complete surprise they had come up empty. It irritated the older Uchiha to no end, as his gut instincts were never wrong. He had been so sure they’d find something they could work with in one of the abandoned buildings.  
  
The room fell silent again as the men ruminated in their thoughts, the only sound being the apple falling into Sasuke’s palms over and over. The older Uchiha sighed heavily, “There’s no way I was wrong about this.”  
  
Sasuke looked over to his brother with mild amusement, “Would it be so bad for you to be wrong for once in your life?” he questioned teasingly, and in response, Itachi crumbled up the paper in front of him and threw it at his younger brother’s head. It bounced off his messy raven hair with a soft ‘ _ thwack _ ’, and Sasuke chuckled before returning to the mindless apple tossing.  
  
“Okay, so go over the facts for me one more time,” Sasuke asked the two detectives after a brief pause. Itachi huffed because really, they didn’t have much.  
  
“Six bodies all with identical wounds. The last two victims were beaten and the sixth was covered in carved words that read ‘mine’,” Itachi paused to take a breath, “Black coal on the feet and yet nothing found in the factory district, even though the lab confirmed that the dirt came from there… not to mention the shockingly barren amount of evidence in general at each crime scene,” he finished, his eyes closed and his mouth pursed in disappointment.  
  
Sasuke hummed in thought, and finally, he bit into the apple. “Okay, so for now let’s just go with a rough estimate then, because we need to narrow things down quickly,” he said before taking another bite of the apple, “I’m going to go with, late-twenties male based on the age and gender of the victims, not to mention the force they’ve been handled with shows an incredible amount of strength that few women would be capable of-” he paused as Kisame suddenly interjected, “Oi, that’s sexist,” the detective said loudly, and Sasuke rolled his eyes.  
  
“It’s not, I wasn’t saying a woman couldn’t be that strong, just that it’s statistically unlikely. And besides,” the younger Uchiha sighed, “we have confirmed that the victims were heterosexual, and each one had gone missing from a bar or party. So they were probably picked up,” he finished matter-of-factly.  
  
Kisame grunted in response and tossed the file in his hand onto the stand next to him, hitting the lamp in the process. His eyes bugged for a moment as the table swayed. The two Uchiha looked at the man with displeasure.  
  
“Anyways,” Sasuke sighed before continuing, “late-twenties male, probably very attractive too or he wouldn’t be able to pick up so many women, but… we can’t rule out a possible forced kidnapping. He technically could have used a mask…” he trailed off in thought before shaking his head as he realized he was getting away from his thoughts, “Actually let’s just stick with the conventionally attractive part for now as it’s more likely than the mask,” he confirmed.  
  
Itachi was sitting silently as he watched his brother piece together a profile for him. Though the older Uchiha was smart in many ways, his brother was a good sounding board for his ideas and even better at taking new information and providing him a view he hadn’t thought of. Itachi constantly found himself proud of his little brother whenever he had his assistance.  
  
“Military or police,” Itachi spoke suddenly and Sasuke’s eyes looked to him with acceptance.  
  
“Yeah. There’s no way a normal citizen could clean a scene this well,” he said to Itachi. The two nodded at each other and Sasuke continued, “Actually, I’d bet police. And to narrow that down even further, maybe forensics.”  
  
Itachi narrowed his eyes, “Why do you say that?” he questioned. Sasuke shrugged, “It’s too powerful of a position to have as a killer, and it gives a lot of advantages… the lack of evidence is just too strong for it to be some random soldier or a beat cop,” he replied with a smirk.  
  
Itachi had thought similar, but hearing Sasuke voice that theory made him more confident.  
  
“Lastly, you said you discussed going to the warehouse at the last crime scene. I think the killer was there and overheard you,” Sasuke finished eyeing Itachi with a deadly serious glare.  
  
That… wasn’t a possibility he had thought of and it took him by surprise. The thought echoed around in his head before he slowly nodded at his little brother. “There weren’t many people on the scene, we could get a list of who was there… with an emphasis on forensic staff,” he was speaking rhetorically, so Sasuke just nodded.  
  
“Don’t let it keep you inside the box though, he could have just as easily been creeping around or using a listening device to hear you,” he said, causing Itachi to roll his eyes and give a wave before looking back down to jot down notes. He wasn’t wrong, just that it would be annoying if that were the case.  
  
“It’s fine, that’s a good starting point. Thank you, Sasuke,” he murmured as he continued his writings. Getting his brother to come in had been a good idea, he mused. Now he’d just have to deal with the consequences of it, which would be Sasuke refusing to sit back and watch the case be solved.  


* * *

  
  
  
The next week flew by like it was nothing, and Sakura was absolutely exhausted. Finals were a week and a half away now, and nearly all of her free time had been spent between Tsunade and studying. Her only respite had been spending every night with Sasuke, as they made sure to prioritize their alone time as much as possible. She had thrived on waking up next to him every morning and falling asleep with him every night, preferring to stay at his place instead of hers. His apartment was closer to campus and it had made her week _ much _ easier.  
  
They were being very casual about practically living together this past week, but both of them knew it was way too soon to have a formal discussion about it. So they ignored the implications and continued to enjoy each other’s company. Plus, Sakura absolutely adored Kasai and the more time she spent over at Sasuke’s the more she wanted to steal the little gremlin for herself.  
  
Sakura sighed as she looked at her phone once more. She and Ryu had been texting for the past few hours, making jokes about tonight. The two had quickly found a familiar banter that she recognized as something similar to her and Naruto’s, only this blonde was much, much wittier. He had offered to pick her up to take her to the party, and in honor of new friendship, she accepted. Besides, Ino had pestered her about their new friend, trying to get her to set him up with TenTen. Sakura knew the weapon’s enthusiast only had eyes for Neji, but those two had been flirting around each other for years and nothing had ever happened. So, maybe a fresh face wouldn’t hurt her.  
  
Another sigh left her pink lips as she tried to harness the energy to get out of bed. She had finished getting ready for the party earlier, attempting to get into the ‘classy yet trashy’ theme Naruto had set. Her closet didn’t have much, but she managed to pull out a short, black bodycon dress that had a low v-cut cut and little straps. She paired it with gold strappy stilettos and an oversized burgundy cardigan in an attempt to make it a little more classy. Her hair was up in a messy bun, large gold hoops that matched the color of her shoes hung from her ears and her makeup was simple as usual. Sakura huffed as she finally sat up and slowly stood from the bed.  
  
It was 9:20 pm now and Ryu had texted her that he was almost there. Honestly, she wished she could ride with Sasuke, but he wouldn’t be there until late as he had told her he would be working with his brother until around 12:30. She was sad that he would miss most of the party, but it had been a few days since she’d hung out with Ino and she knew she should take advantage of the girl time. She’d just tell Sai to shove it and that he needed to share his girlfriend tonight. She smirked as she heard the honk of a horn outside.  
  
She bounced down the stairs and decided to forgo a coat, knowing that she’d be inside all night anyways. With a quick few breaths to ready herself, she threw open the door, shutting it tightly behind her, and ran through the cold to Ryu’s car. Sakura was grateful she was well coordinated, as her heels were quite tiny.  
  
It was the first time she’d seen the blonde’s car, and she was surprised that it was a large black Expedition with tinted windows. It was a big difference, literally, between Sasuke’s tiny gray Porsche, she mused. Throwing the door open and hopping inside, she shivered and dusted the falling snow off her cardigan before it had time to melt.  
  
“Hey there stranger,” she said playfully to the driver, and in return, he offered her a slow smile.  
  
“Where to madame?” he jested with a smile that showed his sharp canines.  
  
She laughed as she buckled her seatbelt, and instantly she felt the tone set for the night. She was ready to drink with her friends and forget about her studies for a night.  
  
“Take me to where the booze is, my good sir,” she giggled and off they went to Ino’s.  


* * *

  
  
  
  
The Uchiha brothers sat quietly in Sasuke’s car outside of a bar across town called TeaTime. A new victim had gone missing from this bar the previous night, and Itachi hoped they’d find more strange activity. It was a long shot, but at this point they were desperate. The list of forensic workers in the city was exhaustive and they were slowly working through it, but they had more than 100 names left to evaluate. So in an attempt to get _ something_, they had decided to stake out the latest spot that the killer had chosen.  
  
Seven victims since October had the entire FBI in an uproar, and his brother had been doing everything he could to keep the case contained from the press. Sasuke watched Itachi nonchalantly sip his coffee as he eyed the entrance of the bar, but he could tell that his older brother was stressed out.  
  
Sasuke sighed inwardly before turning back to his phone. Sakura had texted him to let him know she was getting a ride with Ryu, and he wouldn’t deny that it bugged him slightly. He hardly knew him, and neither did their friend group. So as far as he was concerned, the man was a certified stranger. But Sakura was convinced he was cool, and he trusted her judgment.  
  
Itachi clearing his throat had Sasuke glancing towards him again. “Let’s go inside and talk to some of the employees,” the older Uchiha said. He didn’t even wait for Sasuke’s response before he was out the door and walking across the street. Dammit.  
  
Sasuke sighed heavily as he fumbled to put his phone into his pocket. As interested and invested as he now was in this case, working with his brother was and always would be, a chore.  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love reviews, they make me motivated and happy ;) Let me know your thoughts!


	8. Jealousy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another late chapter! Sorry y'all, school has been busy and I was at Youmacon in Detroit this past weekend, so I wasn't able to get this chapter done and edited as quickly as I wanted to. I only have 5 weeks left of the semester and it's crunch time. 
> 
> However, as I said before, this story will NOT be abandoned as I already have it all plotted out. It's just a matter of finding the time to write and edit!
> 
> As usual, this has been reviewed and edited by just me! Forgive me for any typos >~<
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
The entire house was packed _ full _ of people and as a result, it had taken Ryu an entire 10 minutes just to find a good parking spot. There were so many cars in the driveway that most people had opted to park in the front yard and Sakura knew that Ino would be pissed about it tomorrow.  
  
The pair hopped out of the big black SUV and Sakura dashed quickly through the snow to walk on the pavement of the driveway. She silently cursed herself for not wearing boots, but she had to admit that even though her toes were now freezing, the heels were super cute. She shrugged the thought off as Ryu came up behind her, falling in step to continue up the long driveway together.  
  
“Naruto may have actually outdone Ino with this one,” she mused out loud with a breathy chuckle, watching her hot breath create clouds through the cold air. Ryu nodded and sent her an affirmative smile, “Seems like he knows what he’s doing, huh?”  
  
She grinned in response and drew her cardigan tighter around her in an attempt to warm herself. Walking up the porch steps, Sakura noticed Shikamaru in the corner talking to a few people as they smoked their cigarettes. She thought about stopping to talk, but the cold was relentless and she had no patience. She’d just find him later.  
  
The pair both sighed as they entered the house, the blast of warmth was soothing and Sakura muffled a giggle behind her palm at the look of contentment on her blonde friend’s face. She raised a brow and smirked at him, “And here I thought you were immune to the cold…”  
  
He sent her back a small smirk, “Yeah, yeah whatever,” he waved off, “I’m gonna go get a drink, do you want anything?”  
  
She pondered his question as they stepped to the side to let some people out the front door. “Surprise me. Just no dark liquor please,” Sakura looked around the room as she spoke, “I’m gonna go find Ino. Think you’ll be able to find me?”  
  
“Mhm, I’ll be fine. I’m a master navigator,” he winked before turning to head towards the kitchen. Sakura yelled after him, “Smartass!”  
  
Ryu stopped and turned his head to look at her, but instead of retorting like she’d thought he would, he shrugged apathetically before continuing on. Sakura clucked her tongue and swiveled around to gaze around the living room. He’d find her eventually, she didn’t doubt it.  
  
Reaching up to fix a strand of pink that had fallen down, she sighed and began to slowly make her way through the crowded dance floor, bobbing and weaving between bodies who were all limbs and hips as they swayed to the loud music that pulsed throughout the house. Green eyes scanned their surroundings quickly as she moved, and as she came out on the other side, she noticed her blonde friend in the dining room, sitting on the table and talking animatedly with Sai and Neji. Gods, she’s already drunk.  
  
Pushing through a few people who were also standing in the dining room, Sakura finally let a heavy breath leave her as she came upon her friends.  
  
“Well, well, well if it isn’t the party pig” she sang loudly, making sure to wiggle her eyebrows in jest at her blonde best friend. Blue eyes snapped to her with mock surprise and quickly Ino shoved her drink into Sai’s unoccupied hand as she jumped down from the table.  
  
“FOREHEAD YOU’RE FINALLY HEREEEEE!” Ino wrapped her arms around her, slurring her words slightly as she screamed before finally pulling away and smoothing her skirt down, “I was wondering when the hell you’d show up!” The blonde moved her to the side with a slight push, looking around her with a confused expression on her face, “Where’s Sasuke?”  
  
Sakura rolled her eyes, “He’ll be here later, he had a work thing. I rode with Ryu instead.”  
  
Ino nodded, “Well whatever, I’m glad you’re here now! If Ryu is here theeeenn, we need to go find Tenten!” a smirk spread across her face, and at the mention of their brunette friend, Neji turned away from Sai to give the blonde a deadpanned look.  
  
“What was that about Tenten?” The Hyuuga looked a little frustrated and Sakura assumed that she’d probably already missed a great deal of Ino’s teasing.  
  
“Ooooh nothing~” she sang before taking a long sip of her drink, bright blue eyes crinkling with mischief. Sakura covered her mouth with her palm to stop a giggle from escaping at the scowl that Neji gave her in return. He’s always so grumpy.  
  
“You two are up to something, please refrain from dragging Tenten into it,” he remarked with a twitch of his right eye.  
  
The two girls traded knowing looks and after a pause, they burst into a chorus of laughter and giggles, no longer able to hold it in any longer. Teasing Hinata’s cousin was one of their favorite past times as he truly did have a very bland sense of humor. Neji scoffed at them and his scowl deepened.  
  
Ino wiped the tears from her eyes and slapped Sakura on the back hard to get her to calm down with her, “You’re completely right Neji,” Ino smirked, “maybe _ you _ should be the one dragging Tenten somewhere if you know what I mean,”  
  
Neji tensed up at the blatant innuendo and blushed a deep shade of scarlet, “Shut up, Yamanaka” he said through clenched teeth.  
  
Sakura couldn’t help but laugh again. She knew it was a little sadistic, but she found enjoyment over the embarrassment written on the usually stoic man’s face.  
  
Just as she was calming down, a shiver ran down her spine when a hand landed heavily on her lower back. What the-  
  
Whirling around to glare daggers at whoever dared to touch her so familiarly, Sakura pursed her lips in irritation only to find that it was not a stranger who had touched her.  
  
“Geeze, don’t scare me like that!” she whined as she reached out to grab the drink Ryu had extended to her.  
  
He opened his mouth to respond but like a moth to a flame, Ino was suddenly on him. “Heeeey there mister model,” she openly ogled at him and Sakura wondered how in the hell Sai put up with her. She guessed at least _ something _ could be said about the fact that she would never cheat on him, even IF she was Konoha’s biggest flirt.  
  
Sakura furrowed her brows over an unidentifiable emotion that flashed through Ryu’s eyes as he acknowledged her friend’s flirting, but before she could comment on it, he was quickly flashing Ino one of his toothy grins. Sharp canines and all.  
  
“Nice to see you Ino, your house is wonderful,” he reached out and tucked a strand of her pale blonde hair behind her ear. Ino blushed and not for the first time, Sakura thought about how smooth the guy really was.  
  
The boisterous woman recoiled slightly as he called her bluff, “Oh,” she laughed nervously, “thank’s Ryu, uh, did you find the alcohol okay?”  
  
Sakura scoffed with amusement at her idiot best friend. She was so hopeless, and it was great to see her called out on her fake-flirting every once in a while. “Ino-pig! Weren’t we _ just _ talking about Ryu?” Sakura figured she wouldn’t let her friend flounder for long, and decided that it was time to enact their little plan.  
  
Green eyes stared intently into blue as they silently communicated in the way that only best friends can.  
  
Ino’s eyes flashed with understanding and cleared her throat, “Yes!” a slender finger flew to point at Ryu’s face and the man in question stepped back slightly over the sudden movement.  
  
Before he could react Sakura grabbed his wrist and the two dragged him away from the dining room. They lead him quickly through the crowd and down into the basement. Unlike the Halloween party, the downstairs was set up for beer pong and flip cup along with two large couches for lounging. They had still set up a fire pit on the backyard patio but, with the cold, no one really went out there unless it was to smoke.  
  
As they descended down the stairs, Sakura took in the room. It was just as packed as it was upstairs, and Sakura grinned as she spied Naruto and Hinata engaged in a beer pong match with Kiba and Shino. Of course, they were the loudest in the room, not many could compete with Naruto and Kiba in terms of volume level. She’d make sure to say hi to them a little later. First things first, possible romance. Or sex. Whatever.  
  
Ino leaned over from in front of Ryu and motioned to the corner where Tenten was standing. The brunette was drinking quietly as she watched the Smash tournament that was happening on the large screen TV. Sakura nodded to Ino and she could feel Ryu starting to tense up as they continued to drag him around.  
  
“TENTEN!” the blonde hollered to get her attention as the trio made their way through the people gathered around the couch and TV.  
  
Tenten turned towards the loud voice with a slight grimace, and Ino grinned as they finally made it to the corner.  
  
“Hey, we have someone we want you to meet!”  
  
Tenten raised a brow at the blonde before turning her head to Sakura, “What’s she on about?”

Sakura shrugged and gave her a small mischievous grin. She pulled Ryu forward with a sharp tug, “This is Ryu! Ryu, this is Tenten!” Small hands pushed on his back slightly to get him to step closer to her single friend.  
  
The brunette woman looked up at Ryu with instantaneous distrust, shifting her drink to her left hand and putting the other on her hip, “Huh, you’re new. Where’d you come from?”  
  
Sakura slapped her palm to her forehead. This was so typical of Tenten, she should have known trying to set her up wasn’t going to work. Though, she really hadn’t expected her to react so negatively right off the bat.  
  
“From Mordor, actually,” he drawled, clearly unfazed as he fixed his gaze on her face to let her know he didn’t take her attitude seriously.  
  
Tenten scoffed, “Mordor?”  
  
Sakura cringed outwardly at the oddly tense interaction, “It’s a Lord of the Rings reference...” she clarified. The pair turned their attention to her with mismatched looks. Ryu seemed… impressed? And unsurprisingly Tenten looked exasperated. Dammit, she’d bet a thousand bucks that the brunette already knew that she and Ino were trying to set them up!  
  
“Oookay, well…” Tenten rolled her eyes and looked to Ino who was giving her an exasperated look of her own. Sakura almost chuckled but squashed it down at the last second. Leave it to Ino to get pissed over something like this. It’s not like they didn’t know it was a long shot, everyone knows how much Tenten loves Neji.  
  
“I’m gonna go find Neji,” she smirked at the women before giving the man in front a frown, “nice to meet you, Ryu,” Tenten gave a mock salute and headed off into the crowd to go upstairs.  
  
Sakura sighed and let herself laugh a little at the situation as she brought her drink to her lips. Tenten was a very kind person, but she didn’t take kindly to people meddling with her love life, of which Ino (and sometimes her) were very guilty of doing. It’s just that they couldn’t stand to see two people so hopelessly in love with each other beat around the bush for so many years! Tenten either needed to woman up and make a move or go get laid somewhere else.  
  
“Sorry Ryu, she’s really not a mean person. She probably just realized we were trying to set you guys up,” Ino mumbled and crossed her arms over her ample chest.  
  
“You were trying to set me up?” his brows rose in mild shock and he reached up to scratch the light blonde stubble on his chin in thought.  
  
“Yeah… sorry,” Sakura replied with a soft smile of apology. It was kinda unfair of them to not tell him their plan.  
  
Ryu looked between the two girls who had become quite glum all of a sudden, “Uh, that’s quite all right no need to apologize,” he assured the two, “I’m sure she is very lovely, I don’t doubt it,”  
  
Ryu really was kind, and the fact that he’d quickly forgave the awkward situation made Sakura want to lighten the mood as much as she could.  
  
“I’ll make it up to you. Wanna be my pong partner? I’m told I’m the best there is and I’ve been itching to kick Naruto’s ass,” she hummed, bouncing up and down on her toes with excitement.  
  
“What!” Ino whined, “I thought we were gonna play together, forehead!”  
  
Sakura pouted, “We will, Pig! Let me see how good our new friend is first though,” Green eyes returned to amethyst and she gasped inwardly at the sparkle she found within them. He looked incredibly happy with her offer. Ino be damned, she was going to make sure her new friend had a good time tonight!  
  
“Fine! But once you win, you’re tagging out!” she pointed to Ryu accusingly and the man laughed lightheartedly.  
  
“Sounds like a plan” he winked at Ino before turning to face Sakura, “I’ll go get us new drinks first though so why don’t you go offer our challenge to Naruto while I’m gone?”  
  
She nodded eagerly as she handed over her empty cup, “Perfect, let’s do this thing.”  
  
He offered her another smile as he turned to leave the two women. Sakura looked towards the pong table, easily spotting her other loud best friend.  
  
“Come on, pig. Let’s go rile up an Uzumaki.”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
The game was finally coming to a close and everyone in the room was buzzing around the table in anticipation of seeing the winner crowned. Pong matches between Sakura Haruno and Naruto Uzumaki were legendary, and the minute they had started to face-off, even people from upstairs had come down to watch. Sakura’s eyes sparkled as she looked around the room at all the faces.  
  
She had no idea how Ryu had made her drinks but as she felt herself sway slightly next to him, she realized she was incredibly drunk. He should really consider becoming a bartender, she mused with a heavy drunken sigh. Stepping closer to the table to observe the cups, her tiny heels caught on the hardwood causing her to stumble. She felt a strong hand wrapping around her upper arm to steady her.  
  
“Whoa now, we’ve almost won. Don’t go falling down on me now, blossom,” he gave a breathy laugh when she looked up.  
  
“Thank you, Ryu” she mumbled as he released her arm so she could smooth her dress down and stand. Clearing her throat she refocused on the game. Naruto and Hinata were whispering to each other, presumably about how they were going to go about making a comeback. The couple were down to their last cup and had called a timeout to ‘talk strategy’. Sakura didn’t even know if that was a rule, but she knew if she called it out he’d just proclaim ‘house rules’. Ino had wandered off a little bit ago, effectively giving her no veto power over him.  
  
“Alright,” the couple finally turned to face them, “re-rack please!”  
  
Naruto reached down with a sly grin to pinch Hinata’s hip, and in return, she smacked him lightly on the arm with a blush.  
  
“Triangle,” the woman spoke softly over the crowd that had gathered and Sakura almost didn’t hear her. But she knew her too well and so her voice easily carried across the table to her ears.  
  
Sakura hummed with acknowledgment as she took the remaining cups and formed a triangle. This was fruitless because she knew that her team would win. Ryu was turning out to be one of the best partners she’d ever had. The thought had her thinking about Sasuke’s pong skills…  
  
“Alright,” she handed Ryu the light round ball, “shoot your shot, amigo,”  
  
He nodded and lined himself up. Sakura marveled at how graceful he was even when he was surely just as smashed as her at this point. She watched with bated breath as he closed one of his eyes and moved his hand back and forth before letting the ball soar.  
  
‘ _ clunk _ ’  
  
Bingo. She grinned like a maniac as she grabbed the beer she had been slowly nursing and chugged it out of pure excitement before slamming it onto the edge of the table. She had already finished the incredibly strong drink that Ryu had made before they started the game, and she had planned to chill out with this beer… but dammit if she wasn’t stoked to win!  
  
Everyone around her was suddenly talking louder as they discussed the game, making bets on who would bring it home. Sakura was a known pro, but Naruto was known as the ‘comeback kid’ when it came to drinking games. If she made this next shot though, he’d have no chance to make a comeback. House rules at Ino’s stated that to win, both teammates had to make the last cup on their turn to win.  
  
She realized she had zoned out when she suddenly felt the other ball being put into her hand. Sakura blinked and looked up to find Ryu looking at her, “Go get ‘em, Tiger,” he gave her a wink.  
  
“Oh, I’ll get ‘em all right!” she laughed.  
  
Her smile turned into a smirk as she lined herself up much the same that Ryu did. Taking a deep breath, she pursed her lips and quickly ran through her aiming checklist. Knees bent, back straight, shoulders loose… If anything could be said about Sakura Haruno, it was that in all things she was meticulous- even when playing drinking games.  
  
Naruto began waving his hand above the cup in an attempt to throw her off and she rolled her eyes at the action. Idiot. Sakura huffed and let the ball soar through the air. Naruto retracted his hand at the last second to watch the ball hit its mark.  
  
“WHAT!! UGH NOOOOO!” the blonde threw his hands up and whined loudly in defeat. She could tell he was feigning sorrow as he promptly burrowed his face into Hinata’s cleavage, arms moving to wrap around her small frame.  
  
“Naruto!” she hissed, swatting him on the head and pushing him off of her, “Not here!”  
  
Sakura laughed at Hinata’s beet-red face before rolling her eyes and turning back to Ryu, “Nice game, I didn’t know you were so great at pong!”  
  
She looked at him quizzically as she bumped the fist he had extended to her, and the blonde laughed softly at what she presumed was her now goofy expression. Sakura was happy they had become friends. Especially if he was this good at beer pong. She may just have to make him her regular… forget Ino.  
  
“Thanks, you’re not so bad yourself,” he smiled and his amethyst eyes glittered under the dark lighting of the basement, “want another drink?”  
  
Sakura hummed, “Sure! Should we chill on the couch for a bit we could-” she cut herself off as a new thought flitted through her mind, ”oooor…” a mischievous grin curled onto her round face, “we could get the drinks and then look for Shika?”  
  
He looked confused now. “Why Shika?”  
  
Sakura let out a particularly drunken giggle, “I heard through the grapevine that he brought his weed.”  
  
Ryu’s eyes widened and he laughed, shaking his head and running a hand through the shaggy mess on top, “Fine. Let’s do that then since apparently you’re so hellbent on getting completely smashed tonight” he teased.  
  
“Hey! Don’t act like you weren’t the one buttering me up all night with those strong ass drinks!” she grumbled and pointed her finger at him, “take responsibility and get high with your new best friend!”  
  
He waved off her fake hostility with a grin, “Let’s go get the goods,” he crooned as he turned on his heels to head upstairs.  
  
Sakura turned to say goodbye to Naruto but surprisingly, he was gone. Probably ran off with Hinata, she speculated.  
  
By the time she reached the top of the stairs, Ryu was no longer in front of her. As she looked around for Shikamaru, she noticed the party was still going strong. Okay, now where the hell would he be? Her bright emerald eyes scanned the dance floor. Oh. Wait. Why would he even be on the dance floor? Temari didn’t come tonight, so there’s no way in hell he’d be dancing.  
  
Bending down to fix her strappy heels into place, Sakura stood and pulled her cardigan tighter as she made her way through the crowd to the sliding glass door that leads to the backyard. That was the most likely place to find him, as he was probably smoking. If not in the backyard, she’d check the front porch next.  
  
Sure enough though, as she made it to the door, she saw the man she’d been looking for on the deck, sitting down on a chair facing the fire pit.  
  
Quickly she opened it and stepped outside, shutting it quietly behind her. It was cold, but the alcohol was really helping her in that regard. She barely noticed the wind at this point.  
  
“Shika!” she called as slowly she made her way across the wooden deck. Even though it was clear that someone had shoveled at some point, there was still a light dusting of snow from earlier on the ground. Sakura walked carefully, taking special care not to slip and fall on her ass. That was the absolute last thing she needed; to wake up tomorrow with a bunch of bruises.  
  
“Yo,” he drawled, flicking ash off his cigarette, “what’s up?”  
  
Sakura came up beside him and shuffled herself closer to the fire, sticking her hands out to warm them, “Hey you brought weed right? Do you have anything pre-rolled?”  
  
He smirked at her and leaned down to grab the black backpack that was laying against the leg of the chair, “Did you want a joint or a blunt?”  
  
Sakura blinked at his question and raised a delicate pink brow, “Why are you so prepared tonight?”  
  
He shrugged, “Eh, I wanted to make a bit of money tonight and it’s easier to do that when you have options,” he said matter-of-factly like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sakura could relate, she supposed.  
  
“Okay… well, what did you use to roll the blunts?” She turned to face him now, taking a seat on the arm of the chair next to him.  
  
“White Owl rillos. I have white grape and peach,” he yanked a large plastic ziplock bag out of the backpack and held it up to her. He had about a dozen or so of each inside.

It was tempting but maybe she shouldn’t, “Eh, I'll just go with a joint. How much?”  
  
Shikamaru deposited it back into the bag and took out a slightly smaller ziplock with about 4 joints in it. Clearly they had been the most popular choice tonight.  
  
He reached in and took one out, “It’s on me this time,” he said as he deposited it into her outstretched palm.  
  
“What? Why?” she asked, a little bewildered over his offer. She took it between her fingers and smelled it, “Strain?” She could already guess what it was, but it didn’t hurt to ask.  
  
He smirked, “Dunno. Med school has gotta suck, right? Sounds like such a pain…” he drifted off slightly before continuing, “I know if I were you I’d be high all the time,” he laughed quietly around his cigarette as he took another drag, “oh, and it’s lemon drop.”  
  
Figures. It was Shika’s favorite, she knew. Temari bitched about it all the time because she hated lemons and it’s all he ever wanted to smoke.  
  
Sakura slightly narrowed her eyes at him but he just continued to give her a blank stare. She sighed, “Fine, thank you.”  
  
“No problem,” he shot her a finger gun and she rolled her eyes.  
  
“While I got you out here then… have a light I can borrow?”  
  
He nodded, “Just give it back. I hate lighter thieves,” he grumbled as he reached into his back pocket, “aren’t you cold right now?” he asked as he tossed her the blue lighter.  
  
She wasn’t surprised that she didn’t catch it. Beer pong was one thing, but catching lighters in the dark with her level of inebriation? Impossible.  
  
“Kinda. The fire helps,” she reached down and snatched it off the deck, “so does the booze,” she answered with a smirk.  
  
He nodded in agreement, “Makes sense.”  
  
The sliding door opened then, and both heads turned to watch Ryu step out. He was carefully balancing two cups in one hand as he reached behind him to close the door.  
  
“Finally the booze has arrived!” Sakura exclaimed as she put the joint in her mouth to light it. She flicked the lighter and inhaled. Lemon drop wasn’t one of her favorites but she didn’t mind it.  
  
“Here,” she said mutedly as she exhaled the smoke and tossed the light back. Shikamaru easily caught it. What a showoff…  
  
Ryu took the seat that Sakura was currently sitting on, and she almost moved off of the arm to take the chair next to Shikamaru, but she figured it’d be easier to share the joint if they were next to each other.  
  
She traded the joint for her drink and as she took a long sip, Ryu took his hit.  
  
The trio sat for a while as they smoked and had light conversation. Eventually, though, Shikamaru excused himself and headed inside, leaving just her and Ryu around the fire. Sakura chugged a bit more of her drink, which weirdly tasted a little different from the others. It was still just as good though, she concluded. Another sip and she was turning from the fire back to the blonde as he cleared his throat to speak.  
  
“This is good, does Shika usually deal or…?”.  
  
Sakura shook her head, “Nah, he just does it occasionally on the side. He actually works for the Hokage as one of his military advisors,” she answered.  
  
As she switched her drink to her other hand to take the joint offered back to her, Sakura paused. Her eyes widened as a wave of drunkenness crashed into her _ hard_. She couldn’t tell if Ryu was watching her, but she felt like her mind was spinning out of control and it was clearly mixing with her high in the worst of ways. Her brows furrowed as she felt her hand begin to shake slightly. If Ryu was watching her, he didn’t say anything.  
  
What was even happening? Her vision blurred slightly as she turned her gaze to stare into the fire. She suddenly felt so far away from her body, like it wasn’t even hers. Had she really drank that much? Fuck, she should have paced herself. She knew better than this. Sakura cleared her throat and clenched her eyes shut in an attempt to focus.  
  
Ryu’s eyebrows shot up, “Seriously?”  
  
It took a moment for Sakura to figure out that he was referring to her comment on Shikamaru’s job. Her mind felt like it was floating away from her. “Y-yeah, I know right? You’d literally never guess by looking at him,” Sakura slurred and tossed the roach into the fire. Gathering what little strength she had, she stood to move to the chair next to him, but as soon as she did so, she was quickly falling backward. Her heel had hit a light patch of ice and Sakura squealed as she tumbled, her drink flying to the ground. Luckily the drink managed to miss both of them as it clattered onto the deck and spilled onto the snow.  
  
Ryu looked completely unalarmed as Sakura fell onto his lap with a thud, instinctively reaching his arm across her back and curling it to wrap around the side of her tiny waist. Sakura felt the world spinning around her like she was on some sick rollercoaster. She blinked a few times. Her eyes felt _ so _ heavy like she could crawl into bed and sleep for days.  
  
As she finally settled into the warm body that held her- Wait what?  
  
She shivered as she opened her clenched eyes, squinting up at the man holding her. He was looking down at her with a monstrously heated expression that she’d never seen from him before. His amethyst eyes felt like they were piercing her soul and immediately she felt her breath leave her.  
  
Sakura’s breathing began to come out in quick puffs as her mind screamed at her to just ignore him and sleep. She was so, so tired. Did… Does Ryu always look like that? She squirmed in his lap as she attempted to move to get off of him and he tightened his grip on her. Her head lulled slightly and she shot up at the sensation. Can’t sleep yet. Well… maybe if…  
  
The back door loudly slid open then, and her eyes widened as the erotic expression he had pointed at her turned to one of extreme fury. What…? Her eyes lulled once again and she clenched her fist in an attempt to stay awake. Ryu’s eyes continued to burn through her and then like magic… all emotions disappeared from him entirely.  
  
“What’s going on?” came a threatening voice from behind the man holding her.  
  
Sakura shivered against the blonde at Sasuke’s tone of voice. Her head spun once again and she clenched her eyes shut at the sensation.  
  
“Ah, I’m so sorry Sakura,” his grip around her finally loosened and she winced slightly as the pressure he’d had on her eased. Sakura sloppily untangled herself from the blonde with his help. Wait what. What was happening? As soon as she stood, she was falling again. It was like she had no control over her movements anymore, the strength needed to keep herself up was just… gone.  
  
Sasuke rushed forward and quickly caught her standing, bringing her close to him in a comforting hug.  
  
As the smell of her boyfriend enveloped her she wrapped her arms around his middle and nuzzled her head onto his chest. It didn’t even cross her mind that she was probably getting makeup on his shirt. Finally, he was here. Where is here, even?  
  
“I’m soooo glad you’re here Sasuke,” she slurred as she leaned her entire weight onto him with a sigh.  
  
Sasuke tightened his hold around her and gave Ryu the deadliest glare he could muster, “Why is my girlfriend so drunk she can’t stand?” he questioned monotonously.  
  
Ryu’s amethyst eyes were dull as he fixed Sasuke a strained smile, “Ah, yeah. Sorry,” he rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, “we went a little overboard and she almost fell to the ground before you walked out. Luckily I had been there to catch her,” he let out a breathy laugh and Sasuke narrowed his eyes.  
  
Sakura took a deep breath and turned her head upwards to look at Sasuke’s face, her soft cheek pressed against him. Her eyes were hooded and she could barely even see him. Pink brows furrowed as her eyes lulled closed again.  
  
Sasuke felt movement and looked down at the small woman in his arms. He sighed bitterly as he took in her sleepy expression. This was _ not _ what he had hoped to find tonight.  
  
Sasuke grunted as he leaned down to pick Sakura up bridal style and she easily melted into him, her head lulling slightly before hitting his shoulder with a soft thud. She wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled close, slowly starting to leave light kisses on his exposed skin. He wasn’t wearing a scarf tonight.  
  
“Sakura,” he warned.  
  
“But…” she whispered against him.  
  
“Later.”  
  
His tone left no room for discussion and she pouted. Maybe she could sleep now...? She exhaled a hot breath onto her boyfriend's neck and she felt him stiffen. Hmmm…  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Sasuke was pissed. Where the fuck was Ino and why was Ryu holding his girlfriend, outside in the cold, where no one else was present? He had never seen Sakura so out of it. Actually, he didn’t know if he’d seen _ anyone _ so out of it before. Dark eyes burned holes into the blonde-haired man standing a few feet in front of him. Sasuke stiffened as he felt Sakura’s body go limp with sleep.  
  
Amethyst eyes darkened slightly as they flashed to the woman in his arms, “Sorry Sasuke, I didn’t mean for that situation to look so weird…”  
  
Sasuke saw no shred of actual sympathy in his eyes. “Hn,” he grunted. After tonight, he would never underestimate this stranger again. He didn’t care what Sakura thought about it, he did not like the way this man looked at what was his. The Uchiha sent him one last icy glare before turning away to head back inside.  
  
“Make sure she gets some good rest,” he heard the blonde call out from behind him. His tone was now eerily void of emotion and it pissed Sasuke off even more.  
  
Instantly he froze, pausing his hand on the door handle.  
  
The only sound surrounding them now was the flickering of the fire and the sound of the winter wind blowing across the deck. Another thing to be mad about, he seethed. Sakura had been out here in the cold for who knows how long without a coat or proper shoes.  
  
Sasuke took a deep breath to calm himself before speaking. “Know your place,” he ground out, turning his head slightly to glare over his shoulder. The blonde smiled in response, and it took an immense amount of willpower on Sasuke’s behalf not to walk over and beat the shit out of him.  
  
“My place?” he chuckled softly as his eyes glinted with the light of the fire, “you mean, my place as Sakura’s friend? Relax Sasuke, I’m just worried about her.”  
  
Sasuke saw red then. Nothing about Ryu was innocent and nothing about his words were honest. His glare hardened and instead of speaking his mind, he turned and finally left. As angry as he was, starting an actual fight was not the proper thing to do at a house party of all places. The last thing he needed was to end up in jail for the night.  
  
Sasuke made his way quickly through the house, not stopping to talk to Naruto who called out to him, his voice laced with worry as he spotted Sakura’s limp form.  
  
Opening the front door, he walked out into the front yard towards his car, not stopping to look at the people on the porch who had gone silent as he exited. They can say what they want.  
  
Sasuke unlocked his car and ever so gently slid his girlfriend into the passenger seat before buckling her seatbelt and closing the door. He rolled his shoulders and leaned against the car for a moment to gather his bearings. He was way too mad, way too _ jealous _ and he knew he wasn’t in his right mind. Though for once it did feel justified. His fists clenched as he thought about the way Ryu had looked at his girlfriend.  
  
“Hey, what the fuck?!” Naruto called from the porch as he jumped down the steps and jogged across the yard, “dude you just got here what’s up with Sakura?” he huffed, out of breath from running.  
  
Sasuke let out a growl and slammed his fist down on the top of his car, “Fucking Ryu let her get blackout drunk, I’ve never seen her like this,” he spat as he crossed his arms.  
  
“What do you mean?” he questioned.  
  
Sasuke sighed. He really did not want to do this now. He glared at Naruto before bringing a hand up to rub the tension out of his face. It was late- he’d had a long night with Itachi, and _ now _ he had to deal with this. Just his luck.  
  
The Uchiha’s silence egged Naruto to fill the silence, “They seemed okay together when they played pong a little over an hour ago?”  
  
Fuck. This. “Well it doesn’t fucking matter,” he snapped harshly, “tell Ryu to watch himself around my girlfriend,” Sasuke uncrossed his arms and all but growled at his best friend’s concerned look.  
  
Naruto, however, was unfazed by his anger, having witnessed it many times before. “Dude, Ryu is chill. Maybe it’s just a misunderstanding. Just… take Sakura home and sleep it off?”  
  
His jaw clenched. Sleep it off? Is that a fucking joke?  
  
Sasuke didn’t bother with a response as he stood away from the car and walked around to get in.  
  
Naruto sighed heavily as Sasuke started his car. He had seen his best friend’s anger more than anyone, but he had never seen him like that before. Maybe he’d have to go have a talk with the new blonde of the group.  
  
Naruto rolled his eyes as he watched Sasuke’s car back out and leave.  
  
“Leave it to an Uchiha to overreact,” he mumbled.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Ryu had thought for sure he’d had her this time. He had slipped a roofie into her last drink and had been overjoyed to see it taking effect so quickly, but of course, Sasuke had to show up and ruin things once again.  
  
The blonde grimaced as he made his way downstairs with Naruto for a game of pong. Whatever. Just be patient. Sasuke could hate him all he wanted to, but he had already firmly cemented himself in the friend group. Tonight had been very successful in that regard, and he planned to spend the rest of the night convincing these idiots he was a trustworthy guy.  
  
Sasuke can’t get rid of him. No one can get rid of him. Not until he gets his prize.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Itachi glared at the files on his desk. Finally, he had managed to go through all the names of forensic workers in the city. Originally he had planned to simply get the list of those that were at the crime scene, however to his displeasure, apparently, the forensic department had ‘misplaced’ that list. He supposed it was slightly suspicious, but the way that this case had everyone in a frenzy, he imagined it wasn’t entirely impossible for a mistake to be made.  
  
Not to mention that the FBI often contracted workers from other stations, so in order to get a thorough list he’d had to go through them all.  
  
But the fact that the original list was no longer in any of the systems… Itachi was convinced that his suspect was someone who currently worked in the building. He pulled out the three pictures of the suspects whom he was currently looking into.  
  
Ito Kamichi, Ryu Namura, and Fuu Yamaguchi.  
  
They were young, attractive, and all scored very high on the entrance exams for the FBI. Certified geniuses _and _forensic workers.  
  
Itachi sighed as he gathered the files and stood to leave for the night. He’d stayed way too late to finish this, and now the worst part was going to be hiding this information from his brother.  
  
The director had him on a strict confidentiality contract now that the case was growing, and Sasuke was not permitted to know suspects. Itachi planned to rectify that, however, as he was going to recommend Sasuke for a position here. Maybe Sasuke wouldn’t take it, and decide to stay on the research and professor path. But then again, maybe he would.  
  
Itachi grabbed an apple on his way out the door and bit into it, his first meal of the evening.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Sakura woke the next afternoon surrounded by the silky black comforter she knew was Sasuke’s.  
  
Groaning loudly, she burrowed her face into the pillow below her to escape the light coming through the large window. Her head throbbed and her mouth felt like the Sahara desert. Sakura coughed into the pillow and she made a note of the fact that her lungs wheezed in response. She cringed.  
  
Fucking hell, she’d never felt so awful her in entire life. Clenching her eyes shut tight, she tried her hardest to think about last night. She’d introduced Ryu to Tenten, played pong and then…? And then nothing. She huffed in frustration.  
  
She knew Sasuke had shown up to take her home, obviously, but she couldn’t remember when or how. She growled inwardly and it threw her into another coughing fit.  
  
Feeling incredibly nauseous, Sakura took some deep breaths before sitting up and opening her eyes. Sasuke was of course, not in his room.  
  
Emerald eyes lazily scanned the room and eventually, her eyes fell on the dresser next to her. There sat two bright blue advil pills and a glass of water. Smiling softly, she reached over and popped the pills into her mouth before chugging the contents of the glass. She’d really need to do something nice for Sasuke.  
  
Sakura sat in silence for a few moments. She was trying to will herself to remember last night but after an agonizing 10 minutes of pure nothing, she decided it was no use. Her mind was hazy and her stomach felt like it was going to collapse in on itself. She frowned as she realized she was probably not going to remember. She’d have to ask Sasuke and hope for the best. Turning to grab her phone, she unlocked it to read some unread messages.  
  
  
  
  
_ (3:22am) thanks for being such a great pong partner tonight, sleep well new best friend ;P  
  
_ _  
_ _  
_ _  
_ Ryu. She remembered playing pong with him and surprisingly he was really good. She smiled as she also remembered her calling him her new best friend. At least the entire night wasn’t lost.  
  
Next text.  
  
  
  
_  
_ _ (12:38pm) hey you good?  
_ _  
_ _  
  
_ _  
_ This one was from Naruto. She immediately frowned. The Uzumaki was not one to send worried texts for no reason. Maybe something did happen after she had blacked out? She furrowed her brows as she opened the next text, which was also the most recent one. From Sasuke.  
  
  
  
  
_ (2:10pm) I’m going out for a bit, be back later. There’s food in the fridge for you  
  
_ _  
_ _  
_ _  
_ Food! Yes! She tossed her phone onto the bed without a second thought and jumped up, causing her to almost lose her balance and fall face-first onto the floor. Whoops. If she didn’t know any better she thought she might still be drunk. Sakura snorted and looked for something to put on over her naked body.  
  
After putting on a large shirt of Sasuke’s that had been thrown on the floor, Sakura made her way to the kitchen, stopping to pet Kasai along the way.  
  
Yawning as she entered the brightly lit room, Sakura opened the fridge and was surprised to find 6 neatly made rice balls on a plate with plastic wrap over them. Did Sasuke make these for me? She blushed as she grabbed the plate and the bottle of orange juice that sat on the lower shelf.  
  
Standing next to the counter, her mind returned to last night as she ate. She didn’t know why it was bothering her so much. Something just didn’t feel right and the longer she kept her mind on it, the more frustrated she was becoming. Maybe she just needed more food and… coffee!  
  
Reaching for the bag of grounds next to the coffee pot, Sakura hummed quietly as she stepped away to look around his kitchen for a mug so that she could brew and-  
  
_ ‘SLAM’ _  
  
Sakura immediately tensed at the sound of the door slamming shut. She inhaled sharply and snatched the mug from the side of the sink before walking back towards the coffee pot. Straining her ears, she heard the ruffling of a coat and the low muttering of words that she couldn’t quite make out. It was definitely Sasuke.  
  
Shakily she continued to throw grounds into the coffee pot as she swallowed the nervousness that had risen like bile in her throat. God, she wished she could remember what the fuck had happened last night. If she had just been a little more careful than maybe-  
  
“Sakura.”  
  
She wouldn’t lie and say she wasn’t hesitant to look turn and look at his face. But Sakura was no coward, and after a split-second pause, she squared her shoulders and turned from the coffee pot to meet him head-on.  
  
She cleared her throat and closed the lid to the coffee maker and hit start, all without tearing her eyes away from the dark onyx ones. His eyes burned and he looked… tired. She couldn’t help but feel responsible.  
  
“Sasuke… I’m… I’m really sorry about last night I-”  
  
“What do you remember?” he interrupted her apology and the angry tone of his voice instantly put her on edge. This tone was one she had never heard Sasuke direct at her. She snapped her mouth shut. It was her fault, probably. No one _ really _ wants to take care of a drunk person, even IF that person is their girlfriend. She should stay calm, it wasn’t her place to get angry at him when she was the one whose behavior was unbecoming last night. Her eyes suddenly darted to the ground to contemplate her words. She should be honest. Was this going to turn into their first fight?  
  
“I… I don’t remember getting back here. I played beer pong with Ryu and that’s the last thing I remember...” Her voice had hushed to a whisper at the mention of Ryu and something flashed behind his eyes she didn’t particularly care for.  
  
“Ryu huh?” Sasuke scoffed as he finally left his place in the kitchen entryway to head towards his bedroom. Sakura rolled her eyes and trailed after him.  
  
“Are you mad at me? What did I even do?”  
  
There was no response from the Uchiha as he opened the door to his bedroom and threw off his hoodie, tossing it onto the floor. She quickly followed him in and watched as he busied himself with looking through his closet. Standing in front of his bed with her arms crossed and a confused pout on her face, Sakura found herself slowly but surely losing the patience she had willed herself to have. The longer he ignored her, the worse she felt.  
  
“ _ Sasuke_.”  
  
He grabbed a black t-shirt off of a hanger and threw it onto the bed, before turning around to look at her, “Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was to find my girlfriend sprawled across the lap of another man?” His voice was low and Sakura couldn’t help the surprise from showing on her face.  
  
“_What?"_ she hissed, taking a step towards him, “_what _ are you talking about?”  
  
Sasuke scoffed and rolled his eyes, before brushing past her to his dresser, “When I got to the party last night, I found you on Ryu’s lap,” he revealed as he opened the top drawer to fish out a clean pair of boxers and socks.  
  
Sakura was dumbfounded. She could admit that Ryu was handsome, but she didn’t think of him in that way whatsoever and, and- the fact that Sasuke had found her in… in his lap? _ What?! _ _  
_ _  
_ “Sasuke-”  
  
“Don’t.” he interrupted, pausing on the bottom drawer where his jeans were, “just tell me… should I be worried about you two?”  
  
Worried? God, this conversation was not going where she expected it to.  
  
“Worried? As in like… you think I’d _ cheat _ on you?” Her brows furrowed as she watched him narrow his dark eyes over her answer and take out a pair of washed jeans before tossing them onto the bed next to his shirt.  
  
He walked over to the edge of the bed and began to undo the belt on the jeans he was currently wearing, “Who knows what you’re capable of.”  
  
Capable of? Okay, now she was officially pissed off. Their relationship was still new but he should know by now that she would never do that to him. Why even agree to date her if he didn’t trust her? Was it really just about the sex for him? The thought had her pulse quickening and she fought to squash the panic that had begun to rise in her chest.  
  
“Is that really what you think about me?” Sakura walked closer, her face contorting into a level of exasperation she hadn’t felt in a long time.  
  
He shrugged as he unbuttoned his pants to change into the new pair on the bed.  
  
“Seems like you were _ really _ enjoying your-”  
  
Sakura reacted quickly. Reaching her hand out to shove him gently, he cursed under his breath as he fell onto the edge of the bed in a sitting position, “Do _not _ finish that sentence, Sasuke Uchiha,” she leaned forward to meet him at eye level, “God. Just _ please _ tell me you’re joking. You’re not actually this insecure are you?”  
  
Sasuke leveled her with a hardened gaze that she was sure could make even the strongest woman crumble, “_I__nsecure _ ?” he snapped as his onyx eyes widened. The volume of his voice seemed to be steadily increasing, but she was not afraid, “I’m pretty sure my reaction is normal, all things considered.”  
  
“Normal!?” Pink brows clenched together and she let him see the scowl she had been holding back.  
  
He tried to stand but she pushed him back down, and she could tell it made him even angrier.  
  
“Yes, normal. Are you _deaf_?” he spat, eyes aflame with concealed rage.  
  
Sakura’s eyebrow twitched and she scoffed, “Don’t be such a fucking asshole, I’m not trying to pick a fight with you today.”  
  
“Tch,” Sasuke stood then and this time he didn’t let her push him back down. He towered over her, causing her to take a step back in an attempt to put some space between them.  
  
The pair were silent then as they glared at each other with equal hostility. She couldn’t help but think about how this man before her was acting like such a child, and at the thought, she let out a haughty chuckle that caused him to clench his jaw. The air around them was getting too tense, and Sakura did not want whatever this argument even was, to go further. She closed her eyes and sighed.  
  
“Sasuke, I do _ not _ like Ryu,” she gazed up at him with a soft look of apology, “I don’t remember what happened but I promise you there has to be some explanation for it…”  
  
He was silent for a brief moment before his eyes tore away from hers and scanned her face. She was sure he was trying to assess if she was telling the truth or not.  
  
“Swear it.”  
  
She almost laughed at his response. This… jealous side of him was new to her and it suddenly had her questioning a few things about what she thought she knew about him. The usually calm and mature Uchiha was not the man that stood before her.  
  
“Of course I swear it. Sasuke, why do you think I’d do that to you?” she whispered.  
  
He blinked in surprise at her question. Sakura closed the distance between them and reached up to cup her hand against his cheek, rubbing her thumb lightly along his cheekbone, “I’m sorry to have worried you…”  
  
Onyx eyes softened at her apology and the corner of his mouth tugged upwards slightly as he covered her small hand with his and gave it a light squeeze.  
  
“I…” he sighed and closed his eyes as he leaned into her touch, “I also apologize.”  
  
Sakura didn’t know why he had reacted this way, why he had gotten so paranoid but she figured she would find out eventually. For all she knew, maybe he’d been cheated on before?  
  
Closing the distance further she stood on her toes and touched her lips to his lightly. In response, he wrapped his arm around her to hold her there. Sasuke kissed her back, lips moving slowly at an almost hesitant tempo. Sakura sighed into his mouth and at the noise, he parted his lips for her to deepen their connection.  
  
She cared about this man so much, even if he _ was _ suddenly incredibly infuriating. It had her thinking back to the first time they met at the library almost two months ago.  
  
Her hand left his face, trailing down his neck to his bare chest. She moaned into his mouth over the hard warmth underneath her fingertips, and in return, his hands slid down her waist to grab her bottom with a tight squeeze. He moved to softly thumb the bottom of the shirt she had thrown on earlier and Sakura smiled onto his mouth before breaking their kiss and stepping away from him.  
  
She smirked up at his lust-filled gaze as she reached down to take the shirt off, slowly revealing her naked frame for him.  
  
“So… we just had our first fight as a couple,” she drawled as she stepped towards him. He continued to stare at her in silence, his eyes trailing down her body to admire her dusty pink nipples that had pebbled from the cold air around them, “I think that means it’s time to make-up… properly,” she whispered into his ear as she pressed herself against him and trailed her fingers down to push his unbuttoned jeans down his legs.  
  
He chuckled and helped her push the last of his clothing away, “Oh? And how do you propose we do that?” he nipped at her ear, giving it a quick lick afterward and Sakura rewarded him with a soft sigh of pleasure.  
  
“I have a few ideas…”  
  
Kissing his neck, she turned him so that his back was facing the bed and slowly she pushed him down, crawling on top of his muscular frame. He smirked at her softly as he folded his arms underneath his head to watch her position herself on top of him.  
  
“I don’t want to wait…” she pouted and he smirked before pushing himself into a sitting position. He brushed his hand softly across her collarbone before gently moving her long hair off of her shoulder to lay soft kisses across it, “So don’t then,” he mumbled into her skin.  
  
Normally they spent a good amount of time with foreplay, but she could feel him hard and ready against her ass now. Plus, the way he was looking into her eyes as he continued to pepper kisses across her chest was driving her to the edge much quicker than usual. The tension from their short argument had been enough to get their blood flowing it seemed.  
  
Reaching behind her she gripped his cock tightly, causing him to bite down on her shoulder strongly enough to force a moan from her lips. Sakura stroked his length slowly, running her thumb around the head of him before sitting up slightly to position him at her entrance.  
  
Sasuke hummed against her skin as he lazily licked and nipped his way towards her pert breasts, loving the feeling of her heated core against his tip.  
  
She rubbed him against her wetness, teasing him in a way that finally had him gripping her hips to settle her down on him. The smirk that had adorned her face at his impatience twisted into pleasure as she slowly sat down on him and took him deep inside of her. They moaned together as he stretched her perfectly, and she wasted no time moving.  
  
She swirled her hips and her head fell back as he finally wrapped his hot mouth around her left nipple, hands never leaving her sides. Sakura groaned loudly at the feeling of him hot and hard inside of her as she raised her hips to ride him. Gently moving her hands to run through his silky raven locks, she kept her rhythm steady, loving the wet sounds of his cock plunging in and out of her.  
  
“You feel so good wrapped around my cock like this…” he breathed into her ear and the feeling of his hot breath against her lobe had her picking up her pace. She wanted him deep and she wanted him _ now_. A soft whimper left her parted pink lips as she rode him faster, wanting nothing more than to cum around him already. His hands left her sides and slowly trailed downwards before wrapping around her ass and giving her a tight squeeze.  
  
Finally, she felt him start to use his strength to plunge into her harder, their pace growing quicker and more desperate.  
  
“Sasuke…” she moaned his name softly, and he hummed in satisfaction at the sound. Burying his face in her neck, he forced himself to concentrate on the feeling and sounds of the woman he was so infatuated with.  
  
They were moving together now, meeting each other harder and faster with every thrust. Sasuke moaned against her skin and Sakura tightened her hold in his hair. Her brows pinched together as she slammed onto his cock, again and again, moaning and panting his name like it was the last time she’d ever say it aloud.  
  
Sakura thought she heard him curse and one of his hands left her ass to slide between them and caress her swollen pearl. Her body tensed as the coil that had slowly begun to build rushed forward at a pace she hadn’t expected. Her walls clamped down on him so tightly that the groan that left him in response was absolutely feral. She felt her body tighten and snap as her orgasm washed over her, and Sasuke never once stopped slamming himself up into her.  
  
Her moans were the sweetest sound he’d ever heard and as she quivered around him, he finally felt himself fall over the edge, emptying himself inside of her with shallow thrusts.  
  
“Fuck, Sakura,” he groaned loudly as he fell back onto the bed, hands sliding back up to her hips as she continued to lazily ride him while he came. She must have already come down from her high because the second he was about to follow her, she swirled her hips in a way that had him curling his toes and clenching his jaw. His sensitive cock twitched inside of her and his grip on her hips tightened to stop her from moving. Sasuke heard her let out a breathy giggle and he huffed out one in response as he opened his eyes to look up at her.  
  
The only sound around them now was their breathing and Sakura smiled as she leaned forward to lay across his chest and plant a kiss against his lips, his softening cock still buried inside of her.  
  
“Can you do that again?” she whispered against his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, hands gently rubbing the soft skin of her back.  
  
“Even the fight?” he joked between labored breaths. Sakura laughed quietly against his shoulder before giving him a lazy lick and a soft bite, “Depends on if you’re going to act like a man child again,”  
  
He gave her ass a quick smack and she let out an ‘eep’ that had them both giggling.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
“Ino-pig I swear it was the best make-up sex I’ve ever had,” Sakura tossed a chip into her mouth and snuggled deeper into the blonde’s couch. She finished chewing before she spoke again, “but you should have seen him later that night when he saw that Ryu had texted me.”  
  
Blue eyes stayed focused on their task at hand, quickly and efficiently painting the toenails of her best friend. Ino dipped the brush into the olive green polish once more before running another coat over Sakura’s pinky toenail, “Okay well, who cares about the other details,” she stuck her tongue out in concentration, “what about Ryu?”  
  
Sakura hummed in thought, “Well…” she sighed heavily, “it’s obvious Sasuke doesn’t like him anymore, and after I found out exactly _ why _ Sasuke had found us like that, he had gotten pretty miffed again when I decided to defend Ryu. I mean, if he hadn’t caught me I could have seriously hurt myself,” she ate another chip and licked her lips, “ _ but _ after talking it out again, he told me I can be friends with who I want and that he trusts me so... I think the entire thing is done at this point… at least I hope so.”  
  
Sakura still didn’t remember what had happened that night. It was almost like someone had cut an entire 4 hours out of her brain. Ryu had assured her that it had been a misunderstanding and that at the moment Sasuke had found them, she had almost fallen into the fire. Ryu had caught her just in time. She shuddered to think what might have happened if he hadn’t been there.  
  
Ino finished painting then, and with a triumphant smile over her work, she capped the polish and tossed it onto the floor next to her nail kit.  
  
“Well men are dumb,” she blew a bubble of her gum and bit into it with a soft ‘pop’, “remind me again why we keep them around?”  
  
Sakura laughed and tossed the throw pillow next to her at her friend's face, “Hey, you love your man don’t act like you don’t!”  
  
Her friend flopped backward onto the couch with a giggle, “Yeah I guess you’re right,” she teased.  
  
It had been a few days since her fight with Sasuke, and having time with Ino was like food for her soul. She had been wanting to vent about her fight with Sasuke ever since it happened and now that she had, it was like a weight had been lifted from her. It was a pain that her boyfriend didn’t like her new friend, but talking out loud about it with Ino made her feel better about it all.  
  
“Well anyways, Sai and I-”  
  
Her friend was interrupted by a loud ringtone coming from the kitchen.  
  
“Oh! I think that’s me one sec, just hold that thought pig!” she rushed out as she set down the blue nail polish she had picked up and jogged into the kitchen to grab her phone off the charger.  
  
“Who is it?!” yelled Ino from the living room.  
  
“It’s Sasuke gimme a sec,” she replied as she swiped her phone to answer the call, “Hey babe.”  
  
“Sakura-”  
  
His voice was shaky, and her face paled at the sound. Oh god. “Sasuke? What’s wrong?”  
  
She could tell her voice sounded panicked and as she waited for him to answer she watched Ino enter the kitchen with a confused look directed towards her. She must have heard from the living room.  
  
“Where are you right now? I’m coming to get you,” he demanded as she heard him start his car in the background.  
  
“I’m at Ino’s, why… Sasuke seriously what’s wrong?” Her anxiety was skyrocketing now and it twisted like knives through her stomach. Sasuke had never sounded so… distraught before. She looked to Ino again, who was standing closer now to listen in on the conversation.  
  
“Itachi was just admitted to the hospital… someone shot him.”  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave me reviews!!!! They make me more motivated to write lol. Plus, I love to hear how you're feeling about the story and if you have any requests or ideas. 
> 
> Anyways. Will Itachi live?! Find out next time!
> 
> xo


	9. Close Calls

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edited by just me, I apologize for any mistakes! Longer authors note at the end!
> 
> ENJOY~

* * *

**  
  
  
  
  
  
Previously:  
  
  
“Where are you right now? I’m coming to get you,” he demanded as she heard him start his car in the background.  
  
“I’m at Ino’s, why… Sasuke seriously what’s wrong?” Her anxiety was skyrocketing now and it twisted like knives through her stomach. Sasuke had never sounded so… distraught before. She looked to Ino again, who was standing closer now to listen in on the conversation.  
  
“Itachi was just admitted to the hospital… someone shot him.”  
  
  
**  
  
  


* * *

  
_  
  
Two Hours Earlier:  
  
_  
  
_ Itachi had finally figured it out. The killer had been so close this entire time, it was no wonder he’d been able to get away with it for so long.  
  
Ryu Namura. He’d thought a member of law enforcement, sure, but someone who he has interacted with multiple times? Someone who works only a couple of floors down? An FBI forensic? The thought was ridiculously impressive and frustrating at the same time.  
  
He supposed it made sense, though. It was an extremely efficient strategy to evade the people looking for you by being closest to them. Being able to stay updated on the case, being able to access all the materials and… evidence. Damn, the evidence. He was able to erase so much evidence using his position as an FBI forensic, that Itachi now wondered just how long he’d been doing this… there might even be more victims that the bureau was unaware of.  
  
“Shit,” he cursed under his breath.  
  
There was no time to call Kisame or Sasuke. This had gone on long enough, and Itachi was going to put an end to it right now. There was just one problem. Although he was certain Ryu was the murderer, he needed hard evidence. He could present his theories until his face turned blue but the director would have none of it without hard evidence. They couldn’t prosecute or arrest on theory or suspicion alone.  
  
A dark thought suddenly crossed his mind then. Itachi was not above breaking the law to end this murderer’s killing spree. He could put aside ethics if it meant saving people.  
  
Itachi sat staring at the photo for a moment longer, debating with himself. Warrant or not, he would absolutely find what he needed to bring charges against this man. He had to. Standing to grab the files from his desk, Itachi hurriedly threw on his coat.  
  
Making sure no files were left behind, he made his way out of the building to the parking lot. The best place to start was Ryu’s apartment. As far as Itachi knew, it was work hours at the bureau and that meant his apartment, in theory, should be empty.  
  
A nervousness stabbed him in the gut like never before at the thought of betraying his morals, but he quelled the thoughts quickly.  
  
_ _This was the first serial killer in Konoha in over 50 years, and he needed to be stopped sooner rather than later. _  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
Sakura Haruno was barely keeping it together as she nearly fell out of Sasuke’s car in an effort to rush across the parking lot of Konoha Medical with him. Her anxiety was sky high and honestly, the only thing that was currently keeping her together was the fact that they were about to walk into the hospital. Tsunade’s hospital.  
  
There were many things true about Tsunade Senju, but if Sakura had to pick just one thing that she admired most about her teacher, it would be her strength. Particularly the strength to never let anyone publicly see her falter. A great leader, a great doctor even, is one that people can confidently rely on. Outwardly showing any form of weakness, like fear or hesitation, did not inspire confidence. The people of Konoha trusted their doctors to save the lives of them or their loved ones, often in times of great distress or peril. It was important to not only be honest with your patients but to be someone they can rely on.  
  
Tsunade had beaten that into her over the years, and Sakura was grateful for it. Whenever she entered the hospital, all of her outside worries disappeared and she became that pillar of strength for her patients. While this time may be the most personal trip she’s ever made to the ER, it was not any different.  
  
Walking briskly through the sliding doors and into the waiting room, Sakura felt her body go numb and her instincts take over. Now that she was at the hospital, it was time to assert her authority as the hospital director’s apprentice.  
  
Sasuke was right beside her as she marched up to the reception desk, and offhandedly, she felt rather than saw that Sasuke was becoming more and more agitated. In the car on the way here, he hadn’t said much, and Sakura hadn’t known what to say either. It was clear he needed her though because he’d held her hand the entire way, only letting go when they had parked.  
  
Returning her focus to the task at hand, Sakura regarded the receptionist on duty. It was Koichi, a bright and cheery young woman who often made up for what she lacked in intelligence with kindness. Sakura liked her well enough, but she couldn’t afford niceties right now. Luckily for her, most of the staff were used to her brazen exterior during emergencies from years of working for Tsunade.  
  
Koichi sat at the desk, lazily eating a salad and reading a gossip magazine, of all things. Sakura felt herself growing agitated at the lack of respect but stomached it as best as she could for the sake of Sasuke. She didn’t have time to lecture anyone on proper workplace etiquette.  
  
Sakura cleared her throat loudly and the brunette jumped at the sound, swiftly looking up towards Sakura with round yellow eyes.  
  
“Koichi, give me Tsunade’s current location,” her hardened green eyes pierced into the shy woman behind the desk, “now.” Koichi’s face immediately paled into a sickly white at the tone of her voice.  
  
“Y-yes Ms. Haruno,” she replied. Weakly dropping her fork, she turned to the computer to access the location logs. All physicians and surgeons under the direct supervision of Tsunade were required to log their location every time they saw a new patient, and although at first Sakura found it annoying, she eventually understood the usefulness of the policy.  
  
Koichi was clearly surprised by the sudden appearance of Sakura, having not been scheduled to work today, and the shock was causing her to move too slowly for Sakura’s liking. She bit the inside of her cheek as she impatiently tapped her foot on the linoleum floor. People rushed around behind her, as other emergencies came through. There were babies loudly crying, families chatting casually, shrill noises of various medical machines- even someone who apparently didn’t understand the concept of headphones and was actually watching something on their smartphone loudly. In public! Her eye twitched at that one.  
  
Already on edge from the extreme worry, for both Itachi and Sasuke, the deafening sounds of the waiting room finally caused her to snap. Her mouth abruptly turned downwards into a scowl and she slapped her hand onto the counter.  
  
“Today please Koichi!” she thundered, her eyes ablaze with impatience.  
  
The woman flinched. “S-sorry, Ms. Haruno…” her eyes went wide like saucers once more, “D-Dr. Senju is p-prepping for surgery in room 8B of the-”  
  
“Perfect. Thank you,” she quickly interjected, effectively cutting off the conversation.  
  
Turning to look at Sasuke now, she felt herself soften slightly at the sight of his now frantic expression hidden just underneath his onyx eyes. “Follow me,” she croaked, her voice breaking slightly.  
  
Not stopping to see his response, Sakura promptly turned on her heels to head further into the hospital. She knew Sasuke would listen to her so she didn’t bother to wait or explain anything. He knew she worked here and he also knew who she was to the staff. Plus, what was there really to say at a time like this anyways? What was most important was finding Tsunade, and more importantly, Itachi.  
  
Rushing down the chilly hallway towards the emergency surgery ward, she took in the frantic expressions of the staff as she passed by. They knew to stay out of her way when her face looked as serious as it was, and briefly, she acknowledged the fact that maybe she really was becoming a carbon copy of Tsunade, as Naruto often joked. Feared… but respected. Sakura didn’t hate the sound of that.  
  
Sasuke had stayed silent as they walked through the maze of hallways, but as soon as she slammed open the doors to enter into the next hallway, she heard him inhale sharply behind her.  
  
Nurses and doctors were furiously running between rooms with charts and supplies. It was like a complete zoo and of course, smack dab in the center of all the chaos was her busty blonde mentor.  
  
“Move, NOW! Get me all the AB blood you can find, if you have to contact St. Mito General. See how much they have on reserve to give us.” Tsunade was currently doing what she did best, and Sakura felt her irritation subside at the sight of her.  
  
“I want my tools sterilized and ready the moment I enter that room,” her powerful voice boomed through the surgical ward and a few residents scattered anxiously at her command.  
  
Sakura watched her turn to one of the other head doctors then, her preferred attending physician, Shizune. With a brief pause to collect her thoughts, the pinkette then turned to Sasuke, “Wait here for just a moment, don’t move.”  
  
However, as was expected Sasuke protested, “Are you serious? I’m coming with you.”  
  
“Sasuke just give me a minute, I need to talk to Tsunade privately and then I’ll bring you in, I promise.” His expression didn’t change, keeping his eyes locked on hers. He was silently telling her that there was no way in hell he was going to be left alone.  
  
She was about to plead with one final time, but a voice beside her interrupted them.  
  
“Sakura, what are you doing here?”  
  
The couple turned and were surprised to find none other than the woman in question. Sakura gulped at the annoyed expression painted on her mentor’s face, but rather than waste time explaining she decided to get right to the point.  
  
“It’s a long story, but I want to scrub in on your next surgery,” she announced firmly, squashing down the anxiety that had started to snowball once again in her stomach.  
  
Tsunade stared at her blankly as she assessed her pupil, before finally looking to Sasuke and then back to her. “Absolutely not,” she replied in a tone that Sakura knew left no room for discussion. However, Sakura was no ordinary subordinate and she didn’t feel scared to push things further than any other doctor here would. Technically she wasn’t a licensed doctor yet, but special permissions granted via the Konoha State Medical Board allowed her to assist a licensed surgeon or physician, as long as Tsunade approved it.  
  
“But Tsunade-”  
  
The blonde clenched her jaw tightly before holding up her hand to stop Sakura from speaking further, “Sakura, I know exactly why you’re here. Itachi Uchiha is being prepped for surgery as we speak,” she explained, flitting her eyes back and forth between the couple, “the only surgeons operating are me personally and Shizune, along with some help from the Neurology department. I’m sorry.”  
  
Sakura felt the knot in her stomach twist, and she immediately felt helpless. Tsunade nodded, “For now, I will give you an update on his current condition, but afterward you’ll both move to the waiting room.”  
  
Sasuke hadn’t moved, and Sakura quickly took hold of his hand and squeezed it for reassurance. She needed to do something besides sit around, she needed to do more than just be a shoulder to lean on for her boyfriend.  
  
Sakura opened her mouth to challenge her again, but Tsunade cut her off more harshly this time, “No, Sakura. You will not be operating on this patient.”  
  
Sakura wanted to scream. She hardly knew the man! Just because he was her boyfriend’s brother-  
  
“Itachi sustained a severe gunshot wound to the head that just barely missed the brain stem.” she interrupted grimly.  
  
Sakura felt her knees go weak. She squeezed Sasuke’s hand tighter, and this time he responded back with a squeeze of his own. Brain trauma. Gunshot wound to the head! Oh gods, she was going to be sick. Suddenly the fact that Neurology was involved made sense.  
  
Looking up to Sasuke now, she swallowed thickly at the sight of his face. He looked unnervingly indifferent, and it made her heartache. “Sasuke…” she whispered, and in response, he squeezed her hand once more and took a deep breath.  
  
“Will he live?” he asked, eyes trained on Tsunade.  
  
Tsunade sighed, “I won’t lie to you, Sasuke, it doesn’t look good,” she revealed, “I’m not confident I can save him, but there is a chance he’ll live. However, the longer we go without operating, the greater the chance of death.”  
  
Sasuke’s brows pinched together as his expression became pained, and Tsunade nodded, “I’m going now, the room should be ready. He’s stable and ready to be operated on. I’ll retrieve you after the surgery has been completed.”  
  
Sasuke nodded weakly. With one final look at the couple, Tsunade turned and left, white coat billowing out behind her as she strode through the hallway to go into surgery, and without another word, Sakura stepped away with Sasuke still in hand and turned towards the waiting room.  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
_ One hour earlier:  
  
  
  
Ryu had been figured out.  
  
What a complete bastard, he thought as he sneered into the rearview mirror of his car. Luck had been on his side today because as he was coming back from lunch, he’d seen Itachi’s car peel out of the parking lot in a fashion that was unusually frantic for someone like him. Ryu’s paranoia had gotten the best of him, so he had gotten back into his car to follow him, and thank god he had.  
  
Ryu would not let this be where things ended for him. Sitting in his parked car, he watched patiently as Itachi picked the lock on his apartment door and as soon as he had slipped inside, he jumped into action.  
  
Taking out the pistol he kept tucked into his jeans, he checked the safety before loading it with a few bullets he’d had on hand in his car. Satisfied, he deposited the gun back into his pants and exited the car, making his way around to the back of the building.  
  
Coming around the corner stopping just outside his bedroom window, he listened carefully to make sure the Uchiha was not, in fact, rummaging around his room. With no sounds present, Ryu opened the window slowly and crawled inside. If his ears were right, the Uchiha was currently in his kitchen. With a smirk, Ryu silently tiptoed across his room, pausing for a moment by the door to take the gun that he’d brought out of his pants.  
  
However, before he could so much as contemplate his next move, the slamming of the front door echoed through his apartment.  
  
His eyes widened. Itachi was leaving! Had he already found something?  
  
“Fuck,” Ryu snarled. In a flash, he was at his window and jumping back outside. He needed to make it to Itachi’s car before him! Looking around the corner of the building he spotted his target walking across the parking lot. Blood roared in Ryu’s ears at the sight of him getting closer to his vehicle, his panic morphed into a full-blown meltdown.  
  
Fuck, fuck, fuck. He knows! He has something!  
  
Without thinking, Ryu began to run.  
  
His legs pumped against the pavement with urgency, carrying him across the parking lot and towards the man about to enter his car. Breathing labored and eyes crazed, he quickly came up behind the dark-haired detective and sloppily cocked the trigger, aiming the small gun at Itachi’s head before he had any time to react.  
  
“Hands up,” he panted, “put your fucking hands up ** now** , Uchiha!” Ryu didn’t miss the way Itachi barely flinched at his command.  
  
Slowly, Itachi brought his hands up as he turned away from his car to face the voice behind him. Feral amethyst met cool onyx, and the tension that ignited between the pair was suffocating. Ryu felt his anger begin to consume him, his breathing becoming increasingly more erratic as the encounter sent his adrenaline into overdrive. The only sound that managed to cut through the silence was the whooshing of cars driving by behind the wall that blocked the parking lot from view.  
  
“I knew it was you,” Itachi’s voice was deep and velvety, much too calm for someone with a gun in their face.  
  
“Shut the fuck up, do you have any idea what you’re doing right now?!” Ryu hissed, eyes widening with rage, “you’re going to ruin everything I’ve worked for!”  
  
The detective smirked at the volatile man before him and Ryu took a step closer in response. As the distance between them closed, the world around them seemed to devolve into slow motion. It blurred around them as reality bent and dispersed, the bubble of their encounter becoming tighter until their senses only recognized each other. A brief pause and then with haste, Itachi lunged for the gun. Ryu had been ready, reacting quicker than Itachi could move and immediately pulled the trigger.  
  
A sharp and deafening crack pierced through the cold air, blood instantaneously splattering onto the car window behind Itachi in a grotesque mist. Seconds felt like minutes as Ryu watched the Uchiha’s normally calculating mask come undone. His mouth twisted in shock as his eyebrows scrunched together with fear and confusion. If Ryu had been coherent enough, he’d have remarked on how beautiful it all looked. As Itachi’s onyx eyes fluttered shut, Ryu stepped backward, watching him sway slowly before finally collapsing onto the pavement with a muted thump.  
  
The bullet had gone into his head.  
  
Ryu was frozen in place, unable to tear his gaze away from the body below him. The hand holding the gun fell limply to his side, slackening almost enough to drop it and he quickly became aware of his heart beating erratically against his chest. Shakily, he brought his free hand up to feel it. As he felt the pulse of his life force beating against his palm, a brief moment of clarity seemed to crash into him.  
  
All of a sudden, Ryu was laughing. Laughing like he’d heard the funniest joke in the world. It gurgled up deep from within him and fiercely tore its way out of his throat, loud and chaotic. The shock of how quickly everything happened was dissipating with every ragged breath he took and it only spurred him onward. His eyes darted frantically from the body to the sight of the bloody mess along the side of Itachi’s car and his laughter grew louder. It echoed sickeningly around the parking lot, his mouth twisting into a wicked grin.  
  
He shouldn’t have done this, but the absolute pleasure of finally slamming the last nail into Itachi Uchiha’s coffin brought him more joy than he cared to admit. Ryu’s lithe body shivered and tensed as all the emotions within him came pouring out of his body, the bitter winter wind swirling around him feeling light against his searing hot skin.  
  
Minutes passed before the world harshly forced itself upon him, and as his senses returned in full force, he began to realize the gravity of what had just occurred.  
  
Shit.  
  
Ryu rubbed his face harshly as he made himself take deep breaths. This was not part of the plan, at least not yet. Eyeing the limp man below him once more, he concluded he didn’t care though. Bending down to examine Itachi, taking care not to directly touch him with his fingertips, Ryu pulled on the now bloody manilla envelope that hung loosely out of Itachi’s coat pocket.  
  
As he leaned in close, to his dismay, he realized that somehow Itachi was still breathing. Ryu scoffed. He should have expected someone like Itachi Uchiha to not die so easily. Whatever. He didn’t have time to finish the job, he’d bleed out anyway.  
  
Standing up, Ryu took a peek at the envelope. Inside he found multiple files, mostly about him, and receipts for items he had purchased a week ago. They were receipts for items he had used on some of his victims.  
  
Fucking shit he was a complete idiot, how the hell did he find these? Ryu rolled his eyes. Itachi must have gone through the trash in his kitchen. Pursing his lips, he quickly thumbed through the rest of the contents. Everything on him was there but the one thing he was truly astonished by was the lack of a warrant. Now THAT was unexpected. He had taken Itachi for a by-the-book type of detective. He must have been desperate to stop him. How flattering.  
  
With a contented sigh, Ryu folded the envelope and stuffed it into his back pocket next to his gun. He needed to move quickly. It had already been a few minutes since the gun went off and someone was bound to come soon. The fact that he had shot a man in broad daylight outside his apartment was finally at the forefront of his mind. His eyes scanned the area around him to assess the situation. Witnesses were possible but unlikely. This complex was mostly middle-aged people with corporate jobs, and it was still work hours. Even if no one heard the shot, someone would come along and find Itachi’s body eventually. The longer Ryu stayed on the scene the worse his chances of getting away were.  
  
As quickly as he could, Ryu double-checked the area and body for any items or information that would give him away. Careful once more not to leave trace DNA evidence, he expertly reached into Itachi’s pocket and took his phone. He needed to make sure no one else knew about him being the murderer, and one way to investigate was to go through messages.  
  
Standing up and giving one last glance at the body, Ryu turned and ran back across the parking lot towards his apartment. He needed to burn the files he’d collected.  
  
  
  
_

* * *

  
  
  
  
Sasuke had never felt so exhausted in his life. Taking a deep breath in to calm himself, he exhaled slowly as his gaze lingered on the papers in front of him. His mind couldn’t focus on anything but Itachi and it was clear that his work was suffering for it. He’d been trying to grade exams for over three hours, and gotten absolutely nowhere with it.  
  
After the confrontation in the surgical ward, he and Sakura had gone to the waiting room where they frustratingly spent half the night. Finally, around 2 am, Tsunade had informed them that the operation had indeed been successful, but that Itachi had been put into a medically induced coma.  
  
Tsunade had confirmed that the damage hadn’t been as severe as she’d originally thought, but that, unfortunately, there was a high chance he might never wake up again. Over the past few days, he’d started researching brain injuries and the symptoms and side effects of severe trauma that could be present if Itachi did happen to wake up. Loss of memory, loss of motor functions, loss of senses… the list went on and on.  
  
Sasuke clenched his hand tightly around the pen he was using. Not only was he stressed over his brother’s injuries, but he also couldn’t stop thinking about how the hell Itachi got into a situation so dire.  
  
What exactly had happened? The FBI didn’t have any answers, and it was driving Sasuke up the wall. Although he knew he was being irrational, he couldn’t help but find the whole agency grossly incompetent. Apparently, not one person in the agency knew what Itachi was doing in the parking lot that afternoon, not even Kisame.  
  
It was so unlike his brother to not tell anyone where he was going while on duty, so he must have had a good reason, right? Sasuke had so many questions that had no answers and he absolutely loathed it. Had the attack on him been planned, or was it on impulse? Why is all his paperwork missing? Why the fuck didn’t he have anyone with him?  
  
Sasuke clenched his jaw out of frustration. He really shouldn’t be at work, he should be at the bureau demanding answers.   
  
“Goddammit,” he muttered. His office was too quiet and it only made him more uneasy, the only other sound being the ticking of the clock on the wall and the occasional gust of wind against the windows behind him.  
  
Sasuke’s office was small, but it had a good view and it was one of the only places he actually liked being on campus. He didn’t have public office hours so unless he had an appointment with a student or faculty member, no one ever bothered him.  
  
Setting his pen down, Sasuke rolled his shoulders in an attempt to release the tension in his muscles and lazily swiveled around in his chair to look outside at the falling snow.  
  
He should just go to the bureau. It wouldn’t hurt to try to get more involved in the case, now that his brother was… gone, they could use someone like him.  
  
Sasuke was by no means an arrogant man, even though others sometimes assumed so. He was, however, confident in his abilities. He had the knowledge and the skillset to become a detective, it had just never interested in him. Until now, at least. He frowned, as he removed his phone from his pocket. Now that it was personal, he was motivated to do whatever it took to solve this case. He was positive that whoever shot Itachi, was also the person behind the serial killings. If he could solve what Itachi could not, Sasuke could get his revenge and save lives at the same time. Two birds with one stone.  
  
With a resigned decision, Sasuke swiftly dialed the number of Itachi’s agency.  
  
“Konoha Investigative Division, how may I direct your call?” answered a small voice after a couple of rings.  
  
“Asano, it’s Sasuke Uchiha. Can you please transfer me to Nagato?” Sasuke knew the secretary well. She was an elderly woman who had an obsession with apples, and she constantly handed them out to everyone. She’d been the head secretary at the agency for over 30 years, garnering high respect from all of the people employed there. Sasuke maybe liked her the most out of everyone there.  
  
“Oh, Sasuke dear! Yes just one moment,” she replied. He didn’t bother with a response as he heard the line begin to ring again. Clearing his throat he prepared himself for a lengthy argument with the director. There were a few kinks, mainly conflict of interest, but Sasuke was sure his skills would be valuable and that he could convince him to let him on the case.  
  
“Sasuke?” a smooth baritone voice finally answered, “I’m glad you called, it’s perfect timing really.”  
  
Sasuke’s eyebrows rose in surprise at the director’s choice of words, but quickly regained his composure, “Nagato, I have a proposal for you.”  
  
The director didn’t miss a beat before responding, “Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about,” he let out a raspy chuckle that sounded more fatigued than amused, “before all this shit happened, Itachi submitted paperwork on your behalf to have you officially hired as a detective at the agency.”  
  
Wait how did Nagato even know he was going to ask to be hired? Itachi had done that? Had he known something?  
  
The elder Uchiha always seemed ten steps ahead of everyone, all the time… though maybe that was just how highly Sasuke thought of his brother and not the actual truth. He was only human like everyone else, his recently out of character actions being an example.  
  
Still, the news left Sasuke a little speechless.  
  
“I-” Sasuke started, but before he could say any more, Nagato cut him off.  
  
“I know you will accept the offer, and Kisame needs a new partner until Itachi is awake and out of the hospital,” his voice wavered slightly at the mention of Itachi awakening, but finished strong, “meet me in my office tomorrow at 8 am. Don’t be late.”  
  
The line ended with a soft click, and Sasuke felt something burn through him as he mutely stared out the window, the phone still held to his ear.  
  
Gaining his composure, he slipped his phone back into his pocket.  
  
There was only one more thing to do now. If Sasuke had any real chance of bringing this killer to justice and getting his personal revenge for Itachi, he’d need to give it his all. What time he didn’t spend at the university on his studies and work, he’d need to spend at the agency working. Which meant, he’d have to have a discussion with Sakura.  
  
He felt things for her that no other woman has ever inspired within him, and he owed it to her to let her know that for maybe a little while, they’d be spending much less time with each other. He hated the thought of doing that, but he also owed it to Itachi to bring the killer to justice.  
  
Itachi had been the one who raised him after their parents had passed away. Itachi was the one who has been there for him through all his ridiculous phases in life, always guiding him towards the path he knew he belonged on. He’d be nothing without his brother.  
  
Sasuke let a frustrated sigh leave his lips as he stood to retrieve his bag. He was going to head to the bureau now rather than wait until morning.  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
The beeping of the monitors pulsed at an even pace as Sakura checked Itachi’s vitals for the fifth time that day. She knew she shouldn’t be spending so much time with a single patient, but she couldn’t help it. Sakura wanted to do everything in her power to make sure Itachi was in perfect condition so that when he woke up, he’d have the strength to recover. Scribbling down his blood pressure onto his chart, Sakura thought about the past few days.  
  
She had barely seen Sasuke at all since they’d left the hospital the night after Itachi came out of surgery. The pair had gotten sucked into work, unfortunately, and with all the chaos they’d only been able to send each other a few texts here and there. She missed him terribly.  
  
As far as her sneaking in to monitor Itachi, Tsunade was either pretending not to notice her frequent visits, or she just didn’t care. Sakura had excused herself a few times with a half-hearted excuse to use the restroom, only to find herself back in room 4209 obsessively checking charts and vitals.  
  
Clearing her throat and pushing her thoughts away, she finished filling in the new chart and shifted her gaze away from the clipboard to inspect the older Uchiha. His head was now wrapped in freshly clean bandages. Sakura had made sure to change them with every visit, as well as anything else that she deemed worthy of being changed.  
  
He looked peaceful despite all the machines he was hooked up to and the thought made her frown.  
  
The surgery had been successful, which of course was too wonderful for words, but at the thought of the surgery itself, Sakura couldn’t help but feel a tinge of bitterness rise like bile in her throat. She’d been barred from the operating room that evening and it still had her feeling useless days later. She was happy to be able to comfort Sasuke in the waiting room, but she would have felt better if she had been able to actually help him, not comfort him.  
  
Maybe that’s the real reason she found herself in Itachi’s room so often, she thought. It killed her that she hadn’t been able to physically help Sasuke’s most precious person when he needed her most. Was that selfish? If she had gone into the operating room, Sasuke would have spent hours alone in the waiting room. So for that reason, she supposed, she was glad to have been where she ended up that night. So why the hell did she still feel so incompetent?  
  
Out of the blue, a soft knock reverberated around the quiet room causing Sakura to jump as she found herself aware of her surroundings again. Putting her hand over her heart at the scare, she took a few deep breaths to calm herself. She really shouldn’t be zoning out like this at work, it wasn’t like her to do that here of all places.  
  
The sound of the door behind her shutting softly with a muted ‘click’ had her turning to face whoever decided to disturb her.  
  
“Sakura…” Tsunade spoke quietly as she brought her arms up and crossed them beneath her breasts, “Sakura you can’t keep coming in here anymore.” Her expression was a mixture of concern and curiosity, yet it was clear she was being scolded and Sakura couldn’t help but fix her gaze onto the floor in response.  
  
So much for thinking that Tsunade didn’t care.  
  
Sakura gave a weak smile as she brought her viridian eyes away from the floor to her mentor’s honey brown. “I know, I just…”  
  
She trailed off. How could she find the words to explain what she had been thinking moments before? It was one thing to think something so selfish, but an entirely different thing to vocalize those thoughts, especially to someone who you craved respect and acknowledgment from.  
  
Tsunade sighed heavily, “Sakura I think you should take some time off.”  
  
Immediately she felt herself begin to panic. Tsunade frowned at her expression, “and before you say anything, you should know this isn’t a suggestion.”  
  
Sakura wanted to retort but froze at the gravely serious expression on Tsunade’s face. Normally, she’d have no problem going toe-to-toe with her mentor over something like this, and truthfully she had done it before. Sakura loved to work, and Tsunade knew it.  
  
Her expression warned her not to even attempt to argue with her this time though. Sakura didn’t want to admit it, but Tsunade was right. She was logical enough to see that what she was doing was unhealthy and frankly, a little unethical. It was wrong to prioritize one patient over others.  
  
But just because she knew it, didn’t mean she wanted to listen.  
  
“Tsunade please don’t, I-”  
  
“No. Do not argue with me Sakura,” Tsunade interjected harshly as she reached out to snatch the clipboard out of Sakura’s hand, “Go home. Take a few weeks off. It’s the holidays. You can come back after the new year refreshed and ready to learn again.”  
  
Sakura stood there in silence, holding her mentor’s gaze for what felt like ages before sparing one last glance at Itachi and leaving the room.  
  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
  
“I just feel so hopeless about the whole situation,” Sakura began as she blew on her steamy ramen noodles before shoving them into her mouth. She and Naruto had decided to meet up for dinner that evening at Ichiraku’s, as she hadn’t been able to get ahold of Sasuke all day to make any dinner plans.  
  
Even though she felt worried about the lack of responses, she also understood that he might just need space at the moment.  
  
Naruto frowned as he stared blankly into the depths of his already empty bowl. In true Naruto fashion, he’d eaten the entire thing within the first 10 minutes of receiving it.  
  
“Yeah…” he sympathized somberly before taking a sip of his water.  
  
The two had been discussing Itachi, and it was no surprise that Naruto was depressed over it. Anyone would be, but Naruto had known Sasuke since childhood and because of that, he had spent a great of time around Itachi over the years. Sakura figured he actually might know Itachi almost as well as Sasuke.  
  
In an effort to change the topic and hopefully the mood, she decided that maybe she’d confide in Naruto about something that had also been bugging her.  
  
Sakura returned his frown, “Sooo, Sasuke and I had our first fight the other day…” At the mention of their fight, Naruto perked up a bit, adjusting himself to finally look at her again. From his reaction, she could tell he hadn’t heard about it from Sasuke. Figures, she thought, considering the events of the past few days and all.  
  
Sakura took another bite before continuing, “It happened literally right before everything with Itachi too and even though technically we did patch things up, I can’t help but feel awkward about the whole thing.” Naruto furrowed his brows over her words and closed eyes to think, leaning his head back against the booth.  
  
Sakura knew that when Naruto was being serious, which was rare, he often had wonderful advice to give. The fact that he also happened to be Sasuke’s best friend though, made him the perfect candidate to confide in about this. Sure, she had told Ino what happened, but mostly just to talk about the make-up sex. Sakura had figured that advice on Sasuke from Ino probably wouldn’t be beneficial considering her concerns.  
  
“Well,” he started, “what happened?”  
  
Sakura set down her chopsticks and thought about exactly where to start. Should she talk about what happened with Ryu or just give a brief overview of the fight itself? Honestly, part of her felt hesitant to drag Ryu’s name into it, lest he get any ideas similar to Sasuke. Naruto was just as hot-headed, and if he got it into his thick skull that someone was sketchy, he’d confront them for sure. Plus, nothing even happened anyways.  
  
Okay, so brief it is.  
  
“Well, Sasuke got really jealous and-”  
  
She wasn’t able to finish her sentence, as Naruto immediately snorted derisively and rolled his eyes as he set his elbow onto the table to cradle his chin, “Let me guess… Ryu?”  
  
Sakura blinked in surprise, “How did you know?  
  
Naruto shrugged, “I talked to Sasuke before he left the party and he maaaay have mentioned his name to me.”  
  
Sakura let out the breath she had been holding at the shock of him already knowing and pinched the bridge of her nose in irritation, “Okay, so, yeah he got jealous of Ryu,” she frowned.  
  
“Nothing even happened though. I know myself well enough to know I’d never cheat on Sasuke even IF I was blacked out, but…” she sighed heavily, “but I’ve never seen Sasuke act so… so toxic.”  
  
Naruto didn’t seem surprised at her choice of words and that slightly worried Sakura. She was falling in love with Sasuke, but she still didn’t know him as well as Naruto did and if she found out that this was normal behavior for him…  
  
“Has he been cheated on before or something?” she questioned, taking more noodles between her chopsticks to eat.  
  
Naruto chuckled then as he rubbed his face, “God no,” he leaned back in the booth, “the bastard has never even had a girlfriend.”  
  
Sakura choked on the ramen she had been chewing in response and quickly reached for her ice water to chug away the discomfort in her throat. In response to her obviously bewildered reaction, Naruto, of course, burst into fits of impish laughter.  
  
After a few moments, Sakura slammed her glass onto the table and took a few deep breaths, waiting for the blonde across from her to stop his idiotic laughter. Gods, he’s lucky she literally almost died or she would have smacked the smile right off his face.  
  
“Naruto…” she hesitated, “what do you mean he has never had a girlfriend, he has never once seemed inexperienced and-” Her mouth snapped shut before she continued on.  
  
Inexperience… with a relationship? If it wasn’t insecurity that stemmed from a past betrayal, insecurity stemming from inexperience could also explain his behavior. The thought had never even crossed her mind because he never actually seemed inexperienced in that regard.  
  
Naruto sent her a smug grin as he watched her put it all together, “Yeah he’s definitely no virgin,” he jeered, rolling his eyes, “but you’re the first girlfriend he’s ever had and that’s not a lie,” he paused for a moment before finally adding, “at least as long as I’ve known him which is basically forever.”  
  
Pink brows scrunched together as Sakura processed this new information about her boyfriend. She tried to imagine what it would feel like to have never experienced a relationship or romantic feelings for someone before. What if it had been her to find the first person she’d ever felt love for in the arms of another woman?  
  
She’d probably panic… panic like Sasuke did.  
  
His behavior and words had been slightly cruel that afternoon, and it was clear he had a slight temper… but she’d have probably done the same if she’d been in his shoes. Besides, even though he had a temper, it was clear he’d never hurt her. Sakura was the type of person to love ALL of someone, even bad qualities. No one was perfect.  
  
Naruto exhaled a long breath as he stretched his arms above his head, “You look like you got stuff to think about, maybe we should get going?” he suggested, his blue eyes scanning her face quizzically.  
  
Sakura focused her attention back towards her friend, “Yeah that’s fine with me, did you ask to split the check yet?”  
  
Naruto immediately paled two shades lighter than his normal color at her words, “Oh… uh about that…” he smiled sheepishly in her direction and Sakura pursed her lips.  
  
“Goddammit, you didn’t bring your wallet did you?”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Kisame grunted as he stood from the table he and Sasuke were currently sharing, “Well we’re almost back to square one and it’s fucking unbelievable,” his face soured as he strode towards the counter to make himself a cup of the coffee he’d brewed earlier.  
  
Grimacing, Sasuke watched his new partner clumsily fill his cup with what was, in his opinion, an ungodly amount of sugar and cream.  
  
After leaving campus earlier that afternoon, Sasuke had practically barged into Nagato’s office. He had declared that he intended to start right away, and with a surprising amount of enthusiasm, Nagato had actually agreed. So, the necessary paperwork was taken care of and an hour later, he was granted access to all information regarding the case.  
  
After receiving all the files they currently had on the case, Sasuke had met up with Kisame to begin sorting through them. Which was currently turning out to be more stressful than expected.  
  
The Uchiha said nothing as Kisame returned to the small table they were working at in the bureau's staff room. They’d been combing through information for the past 45 minutes and so far it seemed everything was fucked. There were little notes scribbled on photos and case files and one note, in particular, seemed to indicate that Itachi had apparently narrowed down the list of suspects, though it was never mentioned who and how many. Unfortunately, however, that list was missing along with two other files that Sasuke assumed must have been with Itachi at the time of his shooting. That meant someone had taken them.  
  
“The person who shot Itachi is the serial killer,” he stated firmly.  
  
Kisame looked bored as he took a sip of his coffee and nodded his head, “Yeah that makes sense. I’m just confused about why Itachi decided to keep this information to himself? He’s usually so good at keeping me in the loop on cases we work together.”  
  
Sasuke knew Itachi had been abnormally stressed, even if he hadn’t shown it to anyone else. The last time he’d worked with his brother on the case, it was clear to him that something was off. Call it intuition, or maybe the fact that he knew his brother’s ticks, but he figured it was because Itachi hadn’t been able to solve the mystery. His brother was known for being the best of the best, and the fact that the solution to this case continued to elude him… well, it’s no wonder his habits had started to fall. Any certified genius like him would begin to break down at the thought of failure. It just wasn’t something they were used to.  
  
“I know my brother better than anyone,” Sasuke expressed, “and I can tell you that this particular case had caused him a great deal of anxiety,” he pursed his lips as he focused his stare onto the cabinet behind Kisame, “he wasn’t himself, which makes it all the more pertinent that we solve this case for him.”  
  
Sasuke wouldn’t let this case get to him like it did his brother. He’d bury his personal feelings about the shooting and do what needs to be done.  
  
With a frown, Sasuke lazily reached for the list of forensic workers that he’d freshly printed a little bit ago. Frustratingly, they’d have to go over all of it once more. The last he knew, they had narrowed it down to 100 people, but he hadn’t worked the case after that.  
  
All the most important files were now gone, so they’d have to re-do whatever Itachi had come up with before the shooting. It wasn’t square one, but it damn sure felt like it.  
  
Flipping through the pages, Sasuke sighed, “Is there a way to narrow these people down to fit the profile I had given you two before?”  
  
Kisame, who had been looking through photographs, paused at his question, “It’s possible. Though the system might only take age ranges and occupation,” he answered before returning to his task at hand.  
  
That would be perfect enough, it would at least narrow it down to maybe close to what Itachi had before he disappeared.  
  
“Good, let’s do that first then.” He set the list back down onto the table and although Kisame didn’t respond, he knew that he had heard him. The man had been more quiet than usual, but that was to be expected. He’d known Itachi well, after all.  
  
Sasuke leaned forward in his chair, bringing his hands to his face to rub his tired eyes. He still needed to talk to Sakura and visit Itachi at some point tonight. Exhausted as he was, he owed it to his girlfriend to talk with her about everything that was going on. Cracking an eye open to check the time on the clock hanging just above the fridge, Sasuke inwardly groaned. It was getting late, he’d need to do this now before she went to bed.  
  
With slightly shaky hands, Sasuke pulled out his phone for the first time since he’d gotten to the bureau earlier this afternoon.   
  
“Shit,” he hissed underneath his breath. He had a few missed texts and calls from Sakura.  
  
Kisame chuckled at the tone of Sasuke’s voice, “What now?” he inquired, setting the file in his hands down and turning his focus onto the Uchiha.  
  
Sasuke leaned forward a bit more, using his bangs to hide his face as he started to type out a text to Sakura, “Nothing that concerns you,” he deadpanned.  
  
Sasuke twitched as a hearty laugh erupted from the large man across from him, “Okay so girlie problems, then?” he wiggled his eyebrows playfully, causing Sasuke to scowl.  
  
“Shut up, Kisame,” he scoffed. He didn’t have the energy right now to joke around, and he really didn’t want his new partner involved in his personal life.  
  
Kisame sniggered in response, “No need to get your panties in a bunch, kid,” with a grin he looked away from Sasuke and back to the files, “you’re way easier to tease than Itachi by the way,” he mentioned as he picked up his coffee cup to take a drink.  
  
“Tch,” Sasuke stood and deleted the text he was about to send, “I’m going to step outside and make a call, I’ll be right back.”  
  
Shrugging on his jacket, he ignored the knowing smile on Kisame’s face and walked out of the staff room to find someplace a little more private.  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Letting a sleeping yawn escape, Sakura rubbed her face roughly onto her pillow, snuggling into her fluffy comforter as she attempted to get cozy enough to fall asleep. She’d gotten home from dinner with Naruto a couple of hours ago and after binging some tv, she’d decided to head to bed a little earlier than usual. However, she currently seemed to be having a tough time at that.  
  
Her mind was filled with thoughts of Sasuke. She missed him terribly, and the fact that he hadn't contacted her all day was worrying. Yeah, she’d promised herself to let him have the space he might need, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.  
  
With an exasperated huff, Sakura willed her mind to quiet itself, but just as she felt like she might succeed, her phone began to buzz loudly on her nightstand. Groaning at the offending noise, she shifted to look at where it sat. God, if Ino is the one ruining her attempt at sleep, she was gonna get an earful. Sitting up with a grumble, she hastily snatched her phone off the charger to look at the ID.  
  
Her breath instantly caught in her throat once she looked down though, and seen that it was not Ino. It was Sasuke calling her.  
  
Biting her lip out of nervousness she quickly swiped to answer.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Hey,” he breathed, hints of nervousness bleeding through, “I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you all day...” His voice sounded warm though, and Sakura couldn’t believe just how amazing it was to hear his voice after such a long day. Smiling weakly, she tried to think of how to quell his nervousness. She was not upset in the slightest. How could she be after the week he’s had? The week they’ve both had.  
  
Sakura took a deep breath, “Sasuke I miss you, and I understand if you need some space right now.” Her voice was barely above a whisper, and she heard him sigh in relief before letting out a shaky chuckle.  
  
“It’s not that, I promise, it’s just that… I’ve been busy,” he revealed. They hadn’t been talking much the past few days, so she was slightly confused about what he meant.  
  
“Busy with what?” She asked as she leaned back onto the bed, pulling her blanket up around her.

  
“I’ve… started working on Itachi’s case. The bureau hired me.” Sasuke didn’t exactly sound thrilled, but he didn’t sound like he was entirely unhappy either. Her brows scrunched together as she tried to understand what this really meant. Was this Sasuke’s choice, or had they reached out to him? She knew that Sasuke was perfect for a detective position, but he’d never been interested in that path before.  
  
She had thought that after what happened, things would change. Perhaps this was just meant to be one of those changes. Of course, finding out who shot Itachi would be important to him.  
  
“Well… that’s good, right? You’re amazing at that stuff,” she wavered momentarily as she fought the hesitation to say the next part, “and I know Itachi would be proud of you.”

  
The other end of the line went quiet and Sakura almost blurted out an apology but before she could follow through, Sasuke finally spoke.  
  
“Sakura this is going to take up a lot of my time now so… I’m not sure how often I’ll be able to see you,” he lamented. Reflexively, she clenched her phone a little tighter at his admission.  
  
It’s not like she hadn’t prepared for this. She couldn’t lie to herself, the fact that he sounded like he didn’t really want to be away from her, gave her the peace of mind she needed about where he currently stood with her. However, it mixed poorly with the heartache she was feeling over having to spend less time with him.  
  
Sakura would be strong for him though. She may have a lot of feelings about everything, but ultimately, things need to be about Sasuke. His only living family member, the man who raised him, had almost been killed. It didn’t matter how the fallout of everything made her feel because at the end of the day it had to be only a fraction of what he was feeling.  
  
Sasuke had said nothing as she thought over his words, and finally, Sakura took a deep breath in resignation.  
  
“It’s okay, I understand.” she declared.  
  
Sasuke let out another sigh of relief, “Thank you, Sakura.” She could hear the smile through his voice, and the tenderness of his tone made her feel even more secure in her decision. Sakura hummed, “I’ll always support you, even if it requires me to wait for you.”  
  
At her confession, the mood between them instantly lightened and for the first time since the shooting, she heard Sasuke laugh.  
  
“Hn. It won’t be as bad as you think,” she knew he was smirking now, “I can probably spend some nights with you during the week.” There was some shuffling on the other end of the line as he adjusted his phone, she assumed, and at the thought of him spending the night, her thoughts began to take a lewd turn.  
  
“Hmmmm,” she hummed, “Is that so?” A sly smile found its way onto her lips and like a switch had been flipped, Sakura felt lust begin to blossom within her.  
  
“Tch. I know you’re not using that tone with me while I’m still at work,” he scolded, though she knew it was in jest.  
  
Sakura giggled, stretching her legs underneath her heavy covers, the energy of the conversation filling her up. Sasuke went quiet for a moment, and she heard a muffled voice talking in the background. Closing her eyes, Sakura focused on Sasuke’s breathing.  
  
The pair flirted for a while longer before finally, Sasuke grumbled something about Kisame needing him, and reluctantly they said goodnight before hanging up. Sakura laid there in silence now, staring up at the ceiling as she replayed their conversation over and over in her head.  
  
Not only was she now off of work, but she now had less time to spend with Sasuke. What the hell was she going to do for the next few weeks?  
  
  
  


* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew. It's been awhile, guys! Finals came and went, and then I ended up being struck with writer's block. This chapter sat in my docs half-written for a little over 2 whole months!!! Ugh, thankfully though it FINALLY seems to have passed and this week I was able to pump this out. This chapter is a bit shorter than my usual 10k, but after struggling for so long I kinda just said fuck it. LOL, so hopefully y'all still enjoyed it!!
> 
> Btw, I made a twitter account that's specifically for my fanfics. I'll be posting updates and y'all can interact with me there if you'd like! Follow me at @fanficwaifu. I'm gonna start posting more content that I have saved in my docs, so watch out for those!
> 
> Anyways, thanks for reading, leave some reviews <3 Until next time!


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